History of the District

The Arzamassky District is located in the south Nizhny Novgorod Region. The district covers an area of 2,017 km. It extends 40 kilometers from north to south and 50 kilometers from west to east. The history of settlements in the Arzamassky District dates back centuries. According to archaeologists, early human settlements in this region date back as far as 50,000–24,000 years ago. The definitive settlement of these lands took place in the 8th–7th millennia BCE, during the Mesolithic era. Within the district, near the village of Staraya Pustyn, there is a well-known Mesolithic settlement that likely dates back to around 9,000–8,000 years ago. In the 6th–7th centuries CE, unfortified settlements began to appear in the region. The role of livestock herding gradually declined, giving way to advanced agriculture. In the 12th century, the Volga region—rich in forests, game, and wild honey—was actively colonized by Old Russian settlers. Despite the Mongol-Tatar invasion, Russian influence in the region gradually grew stronger. Russians from towns and villages ravaged by the Tatars moved here to this remote wilderness. The Arzamas lands, historically inhabited by the Mordva, served as a border region with the Wild Field, from which nomads regularly launched their devastating raids. Around 1370, a border fortress was built at the fords across the Teshu River. According to archival documents, the most active settlement of the territory took place after 1554, when the Cheremis War broke out in the Volga Region. It was then that Arzamas received a log fortress and became a district center. To protect the Arzamas region, a Cossack outpost settlement was founded, and a defensive line was established along the Tesha River. In 1708, the Arzamas Province was incorporated into the Kazan Province, and in 1719, it was placed under the jurisdiction of Nizhny Novgorod Governorate. The economic prosperity of the Arzamas region—its “golden age”—continued until the mid-19th century. At that time, there were over 30 plants and factories operating here. The advent of steamboats on Volga River and the construction of railroads from Moscow in Nizhny Novgorod and in Samara The flow of goods shifted, and Arzamas found itself cut off from major transportation routes. After the abolition of serfdom, the Village began to be drawn into commodity-money relations. By the end of the century, merchant shops began to appear; by 1915, there were more than 300 of them. But despite the development of trade, the main occupation remained, of course, agriculture, which employed 60 percent of the population, while trade employed only 3 percent. The main crops were grain cereals—wheat, oats, barley, buckwheat, millet, peas, and hemp. Vegetable gardening, specializing in onions and cabbage, played a major role in the county’s agriculture. Cottage industries and piecework were widespread. During the NEP period, peasant farms in the Village were consolidated to improve the efficiency of agricultural production and marketing; modern technology was introduced; and the supply of necessary materials, seeds, and mass-produced goods improved. Peasants gained the ability to dispose of the products of their labor, and affluent families began to appear in the region. In 1928, mass collectivization began, accompanied by the dispossession of wealthy peasants. Thirty-six Kolkhozes were established; while some of them suffered from mismanagement, most of the pre-war Kolkhozes were economically sound. The district’s highest agricultural output was achieved in the 1970s. At that time, the Arzamassky District became famous throughout Russia with his bow.

Populated Areas

Industry in the District

  • Arzamaspirt, JSC
  • Arzamix, LLC
  • Bemos LLC
  • Quartz NN, Inc. Quarry
  • "Seven Dwarfs" LLC
  • Decor-1, LLC
  • Stora Enso Packaging VR, LLC
  • "ZhBK" Production Association
  • Arzamas Instrument-Making Plant

Links

See also