Initial settlement as seen from Al Khor Corniche According to oral tradition, Al Khor was first settled by members of the
Al Muhannadi tribe in the mid-18th century, possibly around 1750, making it one of the oldest settlements in the country. Primarily a
pearl diving and fishing village, the majority of activity took place during the summer when the pearling season was in full swing. During the winter, the nomadic tribesmen would rear livestock throughout the interior.
19th century In the 1820s, George Barnes Brucks carried out the first British survey of the
Persian Gulf. He recorded the following notes about Al Khor, which he referred to as
Khore Sheditch: "Khore Sheditch is a small boat harbour, to the southward of
Ras Mut Buck, having from one and a half to two and a half fathoms water in it; its entrance is in lat. 25° 40' 10' N., long. 51° 34' 50' E. The point at the entrance of Khore Aegarah is in lat. 25° 43' 10" N., long. 51° 36' 40" E. The Khore is small, having only one fathom in it." File:Al Khor trigonometrical plan 1823.jpg|‘Trigonometrical plan of Core Shedeitch [Khor Shaqiq] on the Arabian side of the Persian Gulf’ by G.B. Brucks (1823) In the 19th century, several other tribes within the country began migrating to Khor Al Shaqiq as a result of its reputation and its well-known spring, Ain Hleetan. The two main tribes, Shahwan and
Bani Hajer, soon intermarried with the Al Muhannadi tribe and formed new families, including the Al-Baddha, Al-Missned, Al-Hassan and Al Arbeed. Further migrants came from the
Utub,
Al Manasir, and
Al Dawasir, as well as immigrants from Persia and Najd. As a result, Khor Al Shaqiq represented a wide range of cultures and ethnicities at the time. Around 1850, many of these tribes united to form the Al Muhannadi tribal confederation. For defensive purposes, in the 1890s Sheikh
Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani ordered all of Qatar's northernmost settlements, including
Al Khuwayr and
Ar Ru'ays, to be evacuated and its inhabitants moved to
Al Bidda,
Al Wakrah and Khor Al Shaqiq, leading to a considerable size increase for the village.
20th century To protect both the coveted Ain Hleetan Well and the town's fledgling harbour, the villagers built the
Al Khor Towers around 1900. Originally a collection of eight towers, only three survived throughout the ages. Multiple different families were tasked with maintaining and renovating each tower. During the 20th century, drinking water was obtained primarily from the Umm aş Şuwayyah area to the southwest of the village, as this well was renowned for its water's freshness. Women would fetch this water in pots and place them on the backs of
donkeys to be transported back to the village. There were also several
springs in the village, among them, Ain Sadd, Ain Salam, Ain Al-Dab, and Ain Masoud. Each spring was named after the individual responsible for excavating it. Furthermore, the village's basic water needs were met by three primary reservoirs: Al-Jalta Dam, a cement
dam built inland in
Al Egda, the Ain Al-Dab Dam built near the Al Khor Police Station on the coast, and the Roza Dam, built to the north near what is today Al Thakhira Road. It was remarked by the
British political resident in Bahrain in 1939 that the Al Muhannadi in Al Khor had about 600 fighting men led by Sheikh Ahmed Bin Essa, and were closely tied to the
Bani Hajer tribe. In 1950, anthropologist
Henry Field visited Qatar, publishing his findings a year later. While there, he interviewed Mansur bin Khalil, a local sheikh, who informed him that the population of the Al Muhannadi in Al Khor was approximately 2,000 people. Some lived in tents while others resided in primitive stone dwellings.
Lorimer report J. G. Lorimer's
Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf gives an account of Al Khor (referring to it as Khor Shaqiq) in 1908:
Modernisation Modernisation in the town started in the 1940s and 1950s, after Qatar started reaping the benefits of its newly discovered
oil fields. The first paved road connecting Al Khor to the capital Doha was constructed in the 1940s, and in the 1950s, the town constructed its first hospital. A primary school followed shortly after. The town also began to be referred to simply as 'Al Khor' rather than 'Khor Al Shaqiq'. In the early 1960s,
pan-Arabism had established itself in the peninsula, and in 1963, the
Qatar National Unity Front was created. The movement, which opposed royal privilege and advocated for increased workers rights, had a stronghold in Al Khor. After the Qatari government cracked down on the group, in 1964 they banished many members of the Al Muhannadi to
Kuwait, where they would remain for several months before returning to Qatar after mediation from the Saudi government. In July 1972, the
Al Khor Municipality was officially established with Al Khor as its seat. Following this decree, the government began large-scale development projects in the town, which included replacing all old housing units and establishing government office branches in the town. Also in the early 1970s, Al Khor Health Center was inaugurated. In 1983–84, Al Khor was included as part of a major project by the Ministry of Public Works valued at
QAR 535 million to develop sewage infrastructure in major settlements outside of Doha.
21st century Due to the continuous expansion at
Ras Laffan Industrial City, the number of facilities and services available in the town is rapidly increasing. In October 2015,
Ashghal (Public Works Authority) revealed that it would be investing billions of Qatari riyals into developing infrastructure in Al Khor. Its plan includes the creation of additional hospitals and schools and the refurbishment of the road system. ==Geography==