The Simbirsk province was an administrative-territorial formation of the Russian Empire with a center in the city of Simbirsk. It was created from the eponymous governorate in 1796. This administrative unit lasted until 1924, until it was renamed the Ulyanovsk province. After 4 years in the USSR, economic zoning began, as a result of which the Simbirsk province was abolished. In early 1943, most of its former territory became part of the newly formed Ulyanovsk region.
Land history
It is known that this area has been inhabited since ancient times. The first documented information about this was found in Arabic manuscripts dated to the 10th century. It was at this time that the Baghdad caliphate was trying to establish diplomatic relations with the Bulgars living on these lands. According to ancient records, Burtases lived in the south of the province, and on the Volga coasts, including where Simbirsk was located, Mordovians.
Three centuries later, Tatars appeared here. In the XIV century, the power of the Nizhny Novgorod princes significantly strengthened and now extended to all Mordovian lands up to the upper reaches of the Sura, on which the border with the Horde possessions passed. However, in those days, besides a few outposts, there were several secluded farms and the city of Kurmysh. Obviously, Russian colonization did not yet spread beyond the Alatiri River.
Under Tsar Ivan the Terrible, they began to build a settlement here. The city of Alatyr was the first, and a little later, numerous settlements began to form around it in the Sengileevsky and Syzran counties. Special watch fortifications were arranged next to them, which served to protect the population from the attack of the freemen, who was always present on the Volga.
Start
The Simbirsk province began to emerge in 1648, when the construction of Simbirsk was in full swing. At the same time, a defensive line was built to the south-west of it, consisting of a rampart, a moat and a wooden tyne, behind which towers and fortresses were visible. These fortifications passed to the Penza province. The remains of such structures looked pretty impressive even at the end of the XIX century.
After 35 years, the city of Syzran was built. In the 16th century, voivodship departments that belonged to the Nizhny Novgorod Region were already established in Alatyr and Kurmysh. After the conquest of Kazan, its lands between Sura and Volga became part of Simbirsk district. However, during the first administrative division of the Russian Empire, which occurred in 1708, these territories were transferred to the Kazan province. The device of Simbirsk governorship took place in 1780. In 1796 it was transformed into the Simbirsk province, and in 1924 its main city was renamed Ulyanovsk.
Population
Counties of Simbirsk province in 1850-1920 There were 8 administrative units in which, according to the 1897 census, the population lived in:
● Alatyrsky - 158,188 people;
● Ardatovsky - 189,226 people;
● Buinsky - 182 056 people;
● Korsunsky - 217,087 people;
● Kurmyshsky - 161 647 people;
● Sengileevsky - 151 726 people;
● Simbirskiy - 225 873 people;
● Syzransky - 242,045 people.
The majority of the population was employed in agriculture. However, many were engaged in a variety of handicrafts. In the largest cities of the Simbirsk province, people worked in numerous factories and factories that produced various products.
Agriculture
It is safe to say that the main occupation of the local inhabitants was the cultivation of land. Most of the peasant plots were under arable land. And this is not surprising, since the villages of Simbirsk province were rich in good lands. In the winter field, rye was sown everywhere, but in the spring field - buckwheat, oats, millet and wheat. In addition, good harvests of sunflower, lentils, peas, potatoes, flax, etc. were collected in these parts. Tobacco and hops were mainly bred in Alatyr, Aldatov, Syzran and Kurmysh districts. Quite significant potato crops were due to the fact that up to 60 potato-plant-bearing and starch plants were located in the province.
Simbirsk province was also famous for its gardens. Gardening in these places was developed mainly on the banks of the Volga, however, small fruit plantings could be found in other regions. Mainly engaged in the cultivation of apple trees, pears, bergamot and plums. In these places, gardening and horticulture were non-commercial in nature.
Industry and trade
The most important handicraft industry was various types of woodworking industries. Craftsmen made carts and carts, sleighs and wheels, bent arches and runners, dishes and troughs, shovels and decks, wove bast shoes and wove guns. Aldatovsky, Korsunsky, Alatyrsky and Syzransky districts of the Simbirsk province were especially famous for this. In total, about 7 thousand people were engaged in these trades.
In addition, other crafts were extremely developed here. These included sewing mittens and boots, caps and hats, felting shoes and weaving scarves, weaving gear for fishing and twisting ropes, and other activities. To further popularize handicrafts, the Zemstvo organized special departments at agricultural exhibitions and fairs, and some schools even had their own craft workshops. Among other things, the Simbirsk province was famous for the fact that fishing and logging operations flourished here.
As for industrial production, by 1898 there were 18 cloth factories, 14 distilleries, more than 3 thousand flour mills, 5 vodka and 3 breweries, 7 sawmills, 1 cheese factory and many other enterprises. This year alone, 82 fairs were organized in the province, the largest of which were held in Simbirsk, Syzran and Korsun.