History Shenkursky District

coat of arms of shenkursk 1780

the area populated finno-ugric peoples , colonized novgorod republic. after fall of novgorod, area became part of grand duchy of moscow. historically, part of vazhsky uyezd, vast area including of basin of vaga river. chronicles mention shenkursk in 1229 sheng-kurye. in 1426, varlaam vazhsky, later beautified saint, founded vazhsky monastery. in course of administrative reform carried out in 1708 peter great, area included archangelgorod governorate, in 1780, governorate abolished , transformed vologda viceroyalty. vazhsky uyezd split, , area of current shenkursky district became part of newly established shenkursky uyezd. in 1796, shenkursky uyezd transferred arkhangelsk governorate.

shenkursk played prominent role in russian civil war. in autumn of 1918, 6 thousand british , american troops advanced south of shenkursk. on january 19-25, bolshevik troops staged counteroffensive, known battle of shenkursk. 3 thousand troops, split 3 armies, advancing 3 sides, cut shenkursk off, , moved front area 90 kilometers (56 mi) north of shenkursk.

shenkursky uyezd remained in arkhangelsk governorate until 1929, when several governorates merged northern krai. on july 15, 1929, uyezds abolished, , shenkursky uyezd split shenkursky, bereznikovsky, , rovdinsky districts. shenkursky district became part of nyandoma okrug of northern krai. rovdinsky district, administration located in rovdino, existed until 1959 (with brief break between 1931 , 1935). on september 11, 1959, district abolished , split between shenkursky , velsky districts; district s administrative center rovdino became part of shenkursky district.

in following years, first-level administrative division of russia kept changing. in 1930, okrug abolished, , district subordinated central administration of northern krai. in 1936, krai transformed northern oblast. in 1937, northern oblast split arkhangelsk oblast , vologda oblast. shenkursky district remained in arkhangelsk oblast ever since.