Simbirsk province was an administrative-territorial unit of the Russian Empire with the center in the city of Simbirsk. It was created from the governorship of the same name in 1796. This administrative unit existed until 1924, until it was renamed the Ulyanovsk province. After 4 years, the USSR began to carry out economic zoning, 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.
History of Lands
It is known that this area has been inhabited since ancient times. The first documented information about this was found in Arabic manuscripts dating back to the 10th century. It was at this time that the Baghdad Caliphate tried to establish diplomatic relations with the Bulgars living in these lands. According to ancient records, Burtases lived in the south of the province, and Mordvinians lived on the banks of the Volga, including where Simbirsk was located.
Three centuries later the Tatars appeared here. In the XIV century, the power of the Nizhny Novgorod princes was significantly strengthened and now extended to all Mordovian lands up to the headwaters of the Sura, along which the border with the Horde possessions passed. However, in those days there was nothing here, except for a few outposts, a few secluded farms and the city of Kurmysh. Obviously, Russian colonization had not yet spread beyond the Alatyr River.
Under Tsar Ivan the Terrible, a settlement began to be built here. The city of Alatyr was the first, and a little later numerous settlements began to form around it in the Sengileevsky and Syzran districts. Special guard fortifications were arranged next to them, which served to protect the population from the attack of the freemen, who were 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 erected to the south-west of it, consisting of a rampart, a moat and a wooden fence behind which towers and prisons were visible. These fortifications also passed to the Penza province. The remains of such structures looked quite impressive even at the end of the 19th century.
35 years later the city of Syzran was built. In the 16th century, voivodship departments were already established in Alatyr and Kurmysh, which belonged to the Nizhny Novgorod region. After the conquest of Kazan, the lands belonging to her between the Sura and the Volga became part of the Simbirsk district. However, during the first administrative division of the Russian Empire, which took place in 1708, theseterritories went to the Kazan province. The establishment of the Simbirsk governorate 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 the Simbirsk province in 1850-1920. consisted of 8 administrative units, in which, according to the 1897 census, the population was:
● Alatyrsky – 158,188 people;
● Ardatovsky – 189,226 people;
● Buinsky – 182,056 people;
● Korsunsky – 217,087 people.;
● Kurmysh – 161,647 people;
● Sengileevsky – 151,726 people;
● Simbirsk – 225,873 people;● Syzran – 242 045 people
Most 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 at numerous plants 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 allotments were under arable land. And this is not surprising, since the villages of the Simbirsk province were rich in good land. In the winter field, rye was sown everywhere, but in the spring field - buckwheat, oats, millet and wheat. In addition, good crops of sunflower, lentils, peas, potatoes, flax, etc. were harvested in these parts. Tobacco and hops were grown mainly only in the Alatyr, Aldatovsky, Syzran and Kurmysh districts. Pretty sizable cropspotatoes were due to the fact that there were up to 60 potato-treacle and starch factories on the territory of the province.
Simbirsk province was also famous for its gardens. Horticulture in these places was developed mainly on the banks of the Volga, however, small fruit plantings could be found in other regions. They mainly cultivated apple, pear, bergamot and plum trees. In these places, gardening and horticulture were non-commercial.
Industry and trade
The most important branch of handicraft production was various types of woodworking crafts. Craftsmen made carts and carts, sledges and wheels, bent arches and runners, dishes and troughs, shovels and decks, weaved bast shoes and wove mats. 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 fisheries.
Besides, 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, as well as 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 1898There 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.
