The district is located in the valley of the Vaga River, a major left tributary of the Northern Dvina. A major tributary of the Vaga is the Led River (left). Some areas in the east, northeast, north, and west of the district lie in the basin of various left tributaries of the Northern Dvina. There are many glacial lakes in the district, the biggest of which is Lake Lum.
Most of the district is covered by coniferous forests (taiga). There are meadows in the floodplains of the river valleys, most notably the Vaga's, and swamps.
Shenkursk played a prominent role in the Russian Civil War. In the autumn of 1918, about six thousand British and American troops advanced south of Shenkursk. On January 19-25, the Bolshevik troops staged a counteroffensive, known as the Battle of Shenkursk. Three thousand troops, split into three armies, advancing from three sides, cut Shenkursk off, and moved the front area 90 kilometers (56 mi) north of Shenkursk.[11]
Shenkursky Uyezd remained in Arkhangelsk Governorate until 1929, when several governorates were merged into Northern Krai. On July 15, 1929, the uyezds were abolished, and Shenkursky Uyezd was split into Shenkursky, Bereznikovsky, and Rovdinsky Districts. Shenkursky District became a part of Nyandoma Okrug of Northern Krai. Rovdinsky District, with the administration located in Rovdino, existed until 1959 (with a brief break between 1931 and 1935). On September 11, 1959, the district was abolished and split between Shenkursky and Velsky Districts; the district's administrative center Rovdino became a part of Shenkursky District.[10]
In the following years, the first-level administrative division of Russia kept changing. In 1930, the okrug was abolished, and the district was subordinated to the central administration of Northern Krai. In 1936, the krai itself was transformed into Northern Oblast. In 1937, Northern Oblast was split into Arkhangelsk Oblast and Vologda Oblast. Shenkursky District remained in Arkhangelsk Oblast ever since.
As a municipal division, the district is divided into one urban settlement and eight rural settlements (the administrative centers are given in parentheses):[6]
One of the principal highways in Russia, M8 connecting Moscow and Arkhangelsk, crosses the district from south to north. Shenkursk is located several kilometers east from the highway; however, it lies on the other bank of the Vaga and is only connected with the highway by a ferry crossing. The roads on the right bank of the Vaga are minor.
The Vaga is navigable within the limits of the district, but there is no passenger navigation.
The bell-tower of the Ascencion Church in the selo of Yamskogorye[clarification needed]
The district contains four objects classified as cultural and historical heritage by Russian Federal law, and additionally ninety-four objects classified as cultural and historical heritage of local importance.[13] Most of these are wooden rural houses, churches, and bridges built prior to 1917.
The four objects protected at the federal level include:
Bogoslovsky Pogost which is the ensemble consisting of the wooden Church of Three Holy Hierarchs (1782) and the Chapel of St. Varlaam of Vaga (1821), both neglected[14]
The Assumption Church in the settlement of Sulonda (1667), which burned down in the 1970s
The only museum in the district is Shenkursky District Museum.[15]
^ abМО『Шенкурское』Справка (in Russian). Администрация Шенкурского муниципального района. Archived from the original on March 25, 2012. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
Архангельское областное Собрание депутатов. Областной закон №65-5-ОЗ от 23 сентября 2009 г. «Об административно-территориальном устройстве Архангельской области», в ред. Областного закона №232-13-ОЗ от 16 декабря 2014 г. «О внесении изменений в отдельные Областные Законы в сфере осуществления местного самоуправления и взаимодействия с некоммерческими организациями». Вступил в силу через десять дней со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Волна", №43, 6 октября 2009 г. (Arkhangelsk Oblast Council of Deputies. Oblast Law #65-5-OZ of September 23, 2009 On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Arkhangelsk Oblast, as amended by the Oblast Law #232-13-OZ of December 16, 2014 On Amending Various Oblast Laws Dealing with the Process of Municipal Self-Government and Relations with Non-Profit Organizations. Effective as of the day which is ten days after the official publication.).
Архангельское областное Собрание депутатов. Областной закон №258-внеоч.-ОЗ от 23 сентября 2004 г. «О статусе и границах территорий муниципальных образований в Архангельской области», в ред. Областного закона №224-13-ОЗ от 16 декабря 2014 г. «Об упразднении отдельных населённых пунктов Соловецкого района Архангельской области и о внесении изменения в статью 46 Областного закона "О статусе и границах территорий муниципальных образований в Архангельской области"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Волна", №38, 8 октября 2004 г. (Arkhangelsk Oblast Council of Deputies. Oblast Law #258-vneoch.-OZ of September 23, 2004 On the Status and Borders of the Territories of the Municipal Formations in Arkhangelsk Oblast, as amended by the Oblast Law #224-13-OZ of December 16, 2014 On Abolishing Several Inhabited Localities in Solovetsky District of Arkhangelsk Oblast and on Amending Article 46 of the Oblast Law "On the Status and Borders of the Territories of the Municipal Formations in Arkhangelsk Oblast". Effective as of the day of the official publication.).
[7])
