The district is located at the divide between the Sukhona and the Vaga Rivers and belongs thus to the Northern Dvina's basin. The Sukhona forms the southeastern border of the district. The northeastern part of the district lies in the basin of the Uftyuga River, the left tributary of the Sukhona. The Uftyuga, as well as its main tributary the Sulonga, flow through the district. The rivers in the central, northern, and western parts of the district flow into the Kokshenga River, the right tributary of the Vaga. The main tributaries of the Kokshenga within the district are the Ileza and the Uftyuga (a different one from the tributary of the Sukhona).
Almost the whole of the district is covered by coniferous forests (taiga). The exception are the meadows in the floodplains.
History
The area was populated by Finnic peoples and then colonized by the Novgorod Republic. Novgorod merchants used the Sukhona River as one of the main waterways leading to the White Sea and the Pechora. Already in the 12th century, Totma and the surrounding areas were under Novgorod's control. After the fall of Novgorod, the area became a part of the Grand Duchy of Moscow. Tarnogsky Gorodok was first mentioned in the chronicles in 1453.[2] The area produced crops, and the Kokshenga and the Vaga were used to transport bread to Arkhangelsk.
On July 15, 1929, several governorates, including Vologda Governorate, were merged into Northern Krai, and the uyezds were abolished. Instead, Kokshengsky District with the administrative center in the selo of Tarnogsky Gorodok was established as a part of Vologda Okrug. It included parts of the former area of Totemsky Uyezd. On July 30, 1931, Kokshengsky District and the neighboring Sukhonsky District were abolished, and Nyuksensky District with the administrative center in the selo of Nyuksenitsa was established. On January 25, 1935, Tarnogsky District with the administrative center in Tarnogsky Gorodok was established on the territories formerly in Nyuksensky and Totemsky Districts.[2] In the following years, the first-level administrative division of Russia kept changing. In 1936, Northern Krai was transformed into Northern Oblast. In 1937, Northern Oblast itself was split into Arkhangelsk Oblast and Vologda Oblast. Tarnogsky District remained in Vologda Oblast ever since with the exception of the short period in 1962-1965, when some of the districts were merged.
The economy of the district is based on timber industry.[10] Food industry is also present; in particular, there is a butter factory in Tarnogsky Gorodok and a food factory in the selo of Krasnoye.
Agriculture
There are sixteen farms in the district: thirteen of them produce milk, two produce meat, and one produces eggs.[11]
Transportation
Tarnogsky Gorodok stands on the paved road connecting Oktyabrsky in Arkhangelsk Oblast in the north with Totma in the south and Veliky Ustyug in the east. A short stretch of the road connecting Vologda and Veliky Ustyg runs within the limits of the district along the left bank of the Sukhona. There also local roads in the district. There is regular passenger bus service originating from Tarnogsky Gorodok.
While the Sukhona is navigable within the district, there is no passenger navigation.
The district contains 4 objects classified as cultural and historical heritage by the Russian Federal law, and additionally 123 objects classified as cultural and historical heritage of local importance.[13] Most of these are wooden farms and churches built prior to 1917.
The objects protected at the federal level are:
The Potsky Pogost, in the village of Kaplinskaya, consisting of the wooden St. George Church (1700) and the brickstone St. Iliya Church (1858). The wooden church was moved to the Semyonkovo Open Air Museum, whereas the brickstone church is very much neglected.
The All Saints Church in the village of Baklanovskoye[clarification needed] (18th century); no longer exists.
The only state museum in the district is the Museum of Traditional Folk Culture in Tarnogsky Gorodok.[14] The ethnographic department of the museum is located in the village of Zarechye.[clarification needed][15]
Artist Dzhanna Tutundzhan lived in the village of Sergiyevskaya from the 1960s until her death in 2011, and many of her canvasses were inspired by the surrounding landscapes.[16]
Законодательное Собрание Вологодской области. Закон №371-ОЗ от 4 июня 1999 г. «О вопросах административно-территориального устройства Вологодской области», в ред. Закона №2916-ОЗ от 7 декабря 2012 г. «О внесении изменений в Закон области "О вопросах административно-территориального устройства Вологодской области"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Красный Север", №124–125, 29 июля 1999 г. (Legislative Assembly of Vologda Oblast. Law #371-OZ of June 4, 1999 On the Matters of the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Vologda Oblast, as amended by the Law #2916-OZ of December 7, 2012 On Amending the Oblast Law "On the Matters of the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Vologda Oblast". Effective as of the day of the official publication.).
Правительство Вологодской области. Постановление №178 от 1 марта 2010 г. «Об утверждении реестра административно-территориальных единиц Вологодской области», в ред. Постановления №686 от 25 июня 2012 г. «О внесении изменений в некоторые Постановления Правительства области». Вступил в силу 20 марта 2010 г. Опубликован: "Красный Север", №29, 20 марта 2010 г. (Government of Vologda Oblast. Resolution #178 of March 1, 2010 On Adopting the Registry of the Administrative-Territorial Units of Vologda Oblast, as amended by the Resolution #686 of June 25, 2012 On Amending Various Resolutions of the Oblast Government. Effective as of March 20, 2010.).
Законодательное Собрание Вологодской области. Закон №1123-ОЗ от 6 декабря 2004 г. «Об установлении границ Тарногского муниципального района, границах и статусе муниципальных образований, входящих в его состав», в ред. Закона №2809-ОЗ от 5 июля 2012 г. «О внесении изменений в отдельные Законы области, устанавливающие границы и статус муниципальных образований области». Вступил в силу через 10 дней со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Красный Север", №242, 11 декабря 2004 г. (Legislative Assembly of Vologda Oblast. Law #1123-OZ of December 6, 2004 On Establishing the Borders of Tarnogsky Municipal District, on the Borders and Status of the Municipal Formations It Comprises, as amended by the Law #2809-OZ of July 5, 2012 On Amending Various Laws of the Oblast, Establishing the Borders and the Status of the Municipal Formations of the Oblast. Effective as of after 10 days from the day of the official publication.).