My Native Town. Kopeysk

Have you ever heard of this name? Have you ever seen it on the map? Have you been at least in the Southern Urals? I suppose most of you will give a negative answer.

But actually, Kopeysk is one of five towns in Russia that were awarded the Red Banner Order. This historical fact took place in 1925 in appreciation for the help of the miners who appeared all of a sudden in 1918 near Chelyabinsk, which was surrounded by the White Army, ready to capture it. Thanks to that sudden break, the city was rescued and the main forces of the Red Army could expel the enemy far from Chelyabinsk.

Till 1935 the town didn’t have its own name, it was just called “Chelyabinskiye kopi”. It consisted of some settlements, which were situated near a coal-mine.

The first coal deposits were discovered by the scientist and geologist I.I. Redikorzev. It was in the middle of the 19th century. The first mine was exploited by the merchant Oshanin in 1907. So this year is considered now as the anniversary year of Kopeysk.

The next, “second birth”, so to say, took place in 1935 and the name of the town “Kopeysk” appeared on the map of the Urals. Thus, 2007 is the year of its 100th jubilee.

Since 1935, the town contributed a lot into the economy of the country. New coal-mines, industrial enterprises were opened, among them the well-known Kirov plant for the coal-mining machinery.

In the 1930s a number of miners repeated the exploit of Stakhanov and were awarded with medals and orders of the Soviet government.

During the Great Patriotic War, many citizens went to the front to defend the country. At those times some volunteers among women began to work in the coal-mines. It was a very hard, dangerous and unhealthy job for young females, who replaced men in the mines. The citizens assembled a big sum of money for setting up of a tank brigade for the front.

More than 10 thousand citizens took part in the war, many of them were awarded with medals and orders, and some became Heroes of the Soviet Union, and one – S.V. Khokhryakov – twice.

Five industrial enterprises were evacuated to Kopeysk, which also produced weapon and spare parts, tanks for the front.

After the war, the town turned into a big construction site. Many houses, hospitals, schools, shops were erected. And now this tendency is being continued.

Thousands of citizens moved into new comfortable flats. New streets and parks have appeared. There are many cultural institutions here: 50 kindergartens, 40 schools, ten technical schools, 3 high schools. Much attention is paid to sports: there are 4 stadiums, 71 sport halls, 2 swimming pools. Many sports sections are working at schools, and Children Palaces. Recently the town museum moved into a new modern building.

Not long ago there were elections of the mayor of the town. And again the citizens re-elected M.P. Konarev. His care of and attention to the needs of the town, to its problems and their solution are always on his mind. His special attention is to the youth, children and old people. Under his leadership and the work of the town administration, the town is becoming more attractive, comfortable.

Welcome to our town. We wish it prosperity, social and material welfare, good ecology and much happiness for all its citizens.

Photo:
1) Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya.
2) Monument to Victory.
3) Vladimir Mayakovsky.
4) Pavel Bazhov.