Zapadnaya Dvina, Russia

History

Zapadnaya Dvina was founded in 1900 as a station on the railway connecting Moscow and Riga. In 1927, it was granted urban-type settlement status. It belonged to Toropetsky Uyezd of Pskov Governorate.

On August 1, 1927, the uyezds were abolished, and Oktyabrsky District was established, with the administrative center in the selo of Staraya Toropa. Pskov Governorate was abolished as well, and the district became a part of Velikiye Luki Okrug of Leningrad Oblast. The district center was subsequently moved to the settlement of Zapadnaya Dvina. On June 17, 1929, the district was transferred to Western Oblast. On July 23, 1930, the okrugs were also abolished and the districts were directly subordinated to the oblast. On January 29, 1935 Kalinin Oblast was established, and Oktyabrsky District was transferred to Kalinin Oblast. In 1937, Zapadnaya Dvina was granted town status. Between October 6, 1941 and January 21, 1942, Zapadnaya Dvina was occupied by German troops. On August 22, 1944, the district was transferred to newly established Velikiye Luki Oblast. On October 2, 1957, Velikiye Luki Oblast was abolished, and Oktyabrsky District was transferred back to Kalinin Oblast. On February 13, 1963, it was merged with a part of Nelidovsky District to form Zapadnodvinsky District, with the administrative center in Zapadnaya Dvina. In 1990, Kalinin Oblast was renamed Tver Oblast.

From the History section of Zapadnaya Dvina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.