History of Primorsky region
More then 30000 years ago the person appeared on the territory of Primorsky region for the first time, they were hunters on mammoths. Fishermen and seafarers appeared much later, they made long voyages; were engaged in catching of a tuna and other fishes, collected mollusks and a plants, hunted on deer and wild boars, bred pigs and dogs. On ancient Chinese sources, the coast of the future Primorsky region in olden time was densely populated. The numerous monuments found here, serve as confirmation. The most known existing here people are medieval Tungus state-kingdom Bohai (698-926) and Chjurjeni States (115-1234).
A lot of large and average cities — the administrative and craft centers of these states — are found out and are investigated by scientists, every year bringing amazing evidencies of a high level of economy and culture of Chjurjeni.
The Mongolian invasion has destroyed ancient civilizations, has devastated and has ruined Primorsky region, the survived population left to a taiga, was fenced off from an external world by passes of Sihote-Alin’ and preserved in the development for centuries. Till the occurrence here of Russians the territory remained wild and forgotten, as if the untouched by the person.
The first Russian discovers of hitherto unknown lands visited Primorsky region in the middle of XVII century. They were trade and military expeditions. The campaign on the river Ussuri and its inflows of Russian Cossacks led by Onufrii Stepanov took place in 1655. At this time the first posts, jails, cities of Amur and Ussurii territories were pawned. Unfortunately, at that time Russia could not obtain the territories opening, and according to Nerchinsky agreement signed between Russia and China in 1689, was compelled to transfer Russians to Zabaikalsk.
In the beginning of XIX century the movement of Russian trading people, Cossacks, peasants to areas of Eastern Siberia and the Far East began. The ships of the Russian fleet surveyed east coast of Japan sea, Okhotskoe and the Beringovo seas, carried out the description of coast, gulfs, bays and other geographical objects. Travelers- earliest explorers investigated the grounds located along a channel of the Amur River.
Peter the Great bay became known to Europe only in 1852, due to the French whaler which has casually wintered in Posiet bay. Same whaler the year earlier visited the Golden Horn bay and gave the first data about it to the world. Englishmen also visited this bay in those years; they have named the Golden Horn as port Mej. This name the bay kept for long time.
In 1856 Primorsky region with the center in Nikolaevsk-na-Amure was formed. On November, 15, 1859. Murav’ev N.N. the general - governor of Eastern Siberia ordered the military governor of Primorsky region admiral Kazakevich P.V. to base posts in harbors Vladivostok and Novgorodskaya.
The conclusion in 1858-1860 of Aigunsky and Pekinsky agreements between Russia and China on mutual relations between the adjoining states, on trade and border on the Far East, defined Amur-Ussurijsky region as a part of Russia and began the development of a southern part of Russian Far East. Intensive settling of Ussuri river right cost, Prihnkaiskaya valley, sea coast and others convenient for conducting an agriculture places was started by Russian settlers and by «the peasants not having the grounds, and enterprising people of all estates, wishing to move at own expense».
On June, 20, 1860 the third mouth of 4-th linear battalion under command of ensign N.V.Komarov on transport ship «Manchur» ccame to the shores of the Golden Horn bay, landed and based a post Vladivostok, as basic sea point in a southern part of the territory. On June, 7, 1880. Vladivostok got the status of the city.
The first Russian colonists of territory were the soldiers of 3-rd Siberian battalion settled in posts Rasdolje, Posjet, Tyrii Horn, Kamen’ - ribolov. After them Cossacks who by 1862 had based 23 villages with the population of 5 thousand person came. The Cossacks played a huge role in development of region since alongside with economic development of the new grounds Cossacks protected frontier of Russia. To tell the truth, there attitude to new places was without special sympathies since they came here from native places on a fate. Thus the prosperous part of Cossacks had the right to pay off from obligatory resettlement or to direct instead of him someone another. The people arrived in indistinct and uninhabited places could by the right consider themselves exiled. Also the part of first settlers consisted of penal soldiers, convicts.
On the average during one year by the overland way 230-240 persons arrived to Primorsky region (all in all during the resettlement by the overland way about 11 thousand people arrived). It certainly could not solve a task in view on development of the new Russian grounds. Therefore at once there raised a question on the opportunity of settler’s delivery by sea from Odessa up to Vladivostok. The first voyage was carried out by steamship «Russia» in March, 1883 and it took 40 days. Further till 1903 it was carried out 2 flights per year, delivering up to 2600 person.
Since 1903 the through railway communication through Siberia was opened, so the immigrants could reach Vladivostok for 14-18 days. This way about 199 thousand people reached Vladivostok.
Settling of Primorsky region occurred as follows. At first to a place of the future settlement from Vladivostok the group of foot-messengers, authorized representatives from group of immigrants, was sent. Foot-messengers examined suggested by the Emigrant committee place for new settlement. After that they came back to Vladivostok, consulted with natives and made a decision. After that, together with belongings and domestic cattle they were again sent to render habitable place.
The national and religious structure of the first inhabitants of Primorsky region was extremely various whereas resettlement to the territory went from various nooks of Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Baltic, Poland, Finland. Citizens of the adjoining states actively took part in development of the new grounds. Among the first immigrants were Koreans that was caused by protection of area administration and heavy, deprived of civil rights position of the Korean peasants in the homeland. The certain part of immigrants was Chinese who created in Primorsky region so-called time settlements of «Chinese îòõîäíèêîâ» and communities.
However in 1917 with October revolution resettlement was stopped. After an establishment of the Soviet authority in Primorsky region the authority repeatedly varied, military landings of Japanese, American and English armies landed.
Primorsky region was formed on October, 20 1938.