Visiting the Soviet Far East Port City of Nakhodka, 1976

For most of its history the area of the city of Nakhodka was a small set of towns on the Pacific coast of the Russian and then Soviet Far East. By 1950 it had grown to a population of just under 30,000 people who were primarily engaged in fishing and forestry.


In the 1950s, due to the dramatic growth of Soviet industry, petroleum production and trade, the government decided it needed to greatly increase its port facilities and capacity in the Far East. They began the rapid, planned expansion of Nakhodka as both a community and as a fishing, shipping and industrial centre.

By the time this postcard folder was published in 1976 the city had a population of over 150,000 with new housing, educational and cultural facilities, a mechanized port, factories, fisheries, and oil refineries. One new neighbourhood and housing complex alone had as many people in it as did the entire city in 1950. It had connections to the Trans-Siberian railway and highway and also worked in conjunction with the nearby hub of Vladivostok.

With 15 pictures this look at the city was aimed at a domestic audience and had text in Russian only. There are photos of the naval facilities, monuments, the city and surrounding area, the railway, etc. It was accompanied by a booklet in Russian that talks about Nakhodka at the time and the plans for the future. We have translated it and provided the text as well. The bits about Soviet city planning I found especially interesting.

Text:

In the southern part of the Far East, on the Coast of the Sea of ​​Japan, lies the city of Nakhodka. This is the final destination of the Trans-Siberian Railway. The city is young -- only 25 years old. But the history of the discovery of the bay, on the bank of which it is located, goes into the distant past. 

115 years ago, on June 29, 1859, the Russian military corvette America went from Hokkaido Island to Peter the Great Bay. Not far from Cape Povorot, the corvette fell into a storm and took shelter from the elements in an unknown bay. It was unfamiliar, poorly understood coast. In the fog it was possible to jump onto the underwater rocks. The commander of the ship decided to approach close to the shore. In the morning, just after dawn, in the western part of the bay they noticed a comfortable spot securely covered by thick woods. The water was calm, like in a mountain lake. “This is a find,” one of the monks exclaimed. 

The pride of the people of Nakhodka is the Order of the Red Banner of Labor trade port. Day and night it bustles with activity. Wood, coal, salt, cars, and containers are shipped to ocean ships. From the quays leave ships to countries of all continents. Every day trains with multicolored containers leave the port. They race at the speed of the passenger express. After 10-11 days the containers arrive in Leningrad. 

This is the shortest way to ship from Japan to Europe. More than ten million tons of cargo passes per year through the Nakhodka trade port. It is one of the foremost in the country. The development of the productive forces of the Far East and of foreign trade demanded new facilities and an increase in cargo traffic. The XXIV Congress of the CPSU decided: "...to complete the construction of the first stage of a deep-water port in the Far East in the region of Nakhodka". This new port will be the largest mechanized port in the country, its annual cargo turnover will be more than 30 million tons per year.

Not far from the moorings, in a picturesque area on the shore of the bay, there is a residential settlement spreading for about 30 thousand people. In Nakhodka are active marine fisheries and fishing farms. From here, fleets go to the shores of Alaska, America, Kamchatka, and into the Indian Ocean. They not only fish, but also produce canned food, which are in great demand among the population. 

Along with the development of seaports (trading and fishing) in the city, the food industry and building materials industry are being developed. Nakhodka has a large ship repair plant for the fleets. Nakhodka is also an essential oil port in the east of the country. With commissioning of the Nakhodkinskaya oil tank farm, as well as the creation of the Primorsky maritime navigation centre, there is an opportunity to start exporting petroleum products from here. 

The growing importance of the Far East in the country's economy predetermines the special role of the city of Nakhodka, which is developing as a large hub of marine and railway transport, as a center of the oil refining industry and the local construction industry. 

Nakhodka is full of new buildings. Wherever you look, cranes rise, residential buildings and kindergartens are being built, enterprises are being built, and streets are being asphalted. The city consists of numerous residential districts, separated by small hills and connected with each other by the main central street - Nakhodkinsky Avenue. Each district has its own club or House of Culture, schools, shops, libraries and everyday institutions. There are two hotels for visitors and the construction of the fishermen’s holiday home is being completed. 

The further development of the city is being determined along new lines of city planning. It is all being done around the existing seaport, a new export-import port, an oil refinery in the Novolitovsk river valley, and a northern industrial hub that is being created. The architectural-planning structure of the city is determined by five planning zones, each of which is formed on the basis of specific landscape complexes. The buildings in these areas, combined with the unique natural landscape, will give the city a distinctive silhouette and will enrich its external appearance. 

Every evening the lights are lit along Kinsky Bay. The lights are denser as the city grows. 

The gate of Russia in the Far East is called Nakhodka, which is growing into its own. These gates are always open for those who seek friendship and trade with the Soviet people. The beautiful Nakhodka harbor is waiting for new friends from all over the world to visit.

The Building of the City Committee of the CPSU and City Executive Committee

Fishing Port

View of the Marina and the Port

Lumber Pier

Bus Station

Maritime Station

Sailor's Palace of Culture

Seaside Shipyard

A City on the Green Hills

City Stela 

Here Ends the Trans-Siberian Highway

Port

Hotel

View of the City

Nakhodka - Vladivostok Road

Road of Courage and Heroism -- Building the BAM in the USSR 1979

Today we are looking at a panoramic postcard folder from 1980 that celebrated the remarkable building of the Baikal–Amur Mainline (BAM) railway in the USSR between 1975 and 1979. While the BAM would not be fully completed for a few more years, during this time great progress was made.

The BAM sought to open up vast areas of Siberia economically. Many new communities were planned (and were built) for its route. (Numbers of these, tragically, became ghost towns with the collapse of the USSR). It was to also provide another rail access to the Pacific via ports like Komsomolsk-on-Amur.

In order to expedite construction the Communist Party called on its youth wing, the Komsomol, to send volunteers to help plan, engineer and build the line. Volunteer brigades from the whole of the Soviet Union were formed, often along republic lines, and tens-of-thousands of young workers went into action across the route.

These volunteers and the workers on the BAM projects were celebrated as soldiers and their efforts were framed in very heroic terms.

Along with the photos we have translated all of the text which tells the story of this largely forgotten tale of socialist construction and achievement.

(Click on images to enlarge)

From the folder's flap:

Taiga to the horizon. Fresh dirt. Steel track. A train. This is BAM - the most massive project of the USSR in terms of its economic and socio-political importance. The party has entrusted the Komsomol to carry out this construction program.

What had been achieved on the BAM in 1979? On the western branch of the railway line, Nizhneangarsk saw its first train. The builders of the Baikal tunnel covered about one thousand one hundred and fifty meters. There was work on the Severo Muisky tunnel. The commissioned line Tynda - Berkakit opened. In the central section, the rails came to Chilchi. In the east Vostochny port received delivery of the first tons of Yakut coal.

"From year to year the pace of construction of this railway increases, with trains to new sites, with growing cities and towns. BAM is already manifesting itself as the mighty accelerator of socio-cultural transformations of vast uninhabited territories", Secretary General of the Central Committee. CPSU, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme USSR Council Comrade. L.I. Brezhnev said to the participants in the construction of the Eastern section. Here the main event of the year was the completion of the Urgal - Komsomolsk-on-Amur line.

1. Komsomolsk-on-Amur  BAM

It seemed that all the history of this city had been written. It seemed that all that was to heard was the industrial rhythm of one of the most powerful of the Far East industrial centers. But here the young star with the word "BAM" has risen over the city, and volunteer detachments again moved here to show the glory of Komsomol labour. They came to pave the way and tie Komsomolsk with future industrial areas of the BAM, to build a bridge and make Komsomolsk a gateway to the great ocean. This will give a new impetus to the development of the legendary city and the Komsomolsky territorial production complex.

2. THE BIGGEST ON BAM

It was September 26, 1975. The wind howled in the openwork bindings of the new railway bridge. There it is: the bridge over the Amur, the largest in the whole of the Baikal-Amur track! The opening of traffic on a new bridge has an important economic value as it provides another route to the Pacific coast, allows the USSR to significantly increase the carrying capacity of the existing port of Komsomolsk-on-Amur. No wonder the bridge over the Amur River is called the eastern gate of BAM.

3. FIRST TRAIN

"We will come to you, Komsomolsk!" This catchy inscription was on one of the cars of the first BAM trains. One year ahead of schedule the eastern section of the Baikal-Amur Mainline began. The best
of the best took seats in the train. The workers. The foreman of the installers A. Boyko and the head of detachment number 26 A. Avakimov, brigadier of the Komsomol Youth Noah Brigade. V. Vlasov, bricklayer, A. Lysochenko, carpenter, N. Mirchuk, dredger driver, V. Shevtsov, K. ’Choban and a lot of others. They dreamed of the day when they when they would ride the first train. This day came.

4. NO MORE JUST NAMES ON CARDS

Alonka, Dzhamka, Soloni, Berezovka-these names still were not on the map of the Soviet railways, but the train went there now. More and more places across the taiga Increasingly, the vigorous whistles of locomotives are being blown by the best drivers of the route S. Likhachev, N. Tsopkov, I. Drapak, A. Matusevich. Over the years working on the eastern sector, they transported more than a half million tons of cargo, significantly more than projected.

5. STEP THROUGH AMGUN

Eleven large bridges are to be built by builders on the Eastern section of the highway. Completed was construction of a half-kilometer bridge across the Amgun River. Much work was ahead of time, thanks to the E. Stavitsky led brigades. Experience gained in hard work was successfully applied.

6. PEACEFUL FRONT

"BAM - to the service of the motherland!" Under this slogan they live and the warriors are working today. They have the honour of laying this climbing road to the ocean. There is a plan of attack on the taiga. Railway divisions of construction troops build bridges, dig through the earth, and lay the rails. From Urgal to Komsomolsk-on-Amur , there is a soldier's "red star" quality mark on the rails. So, on the initiative of the platoon leader, Communist winner of the Lenin Prize of the Komsomol, Lieutenant E. Zuev, groups began to celebrate each accurately completed "red star" link..

7 OUR HOUSE - NATURE

"This is a mixture of Switzerland, the Don and Finland," - wrote A.P. Chekhov, passing through the places where now is the BAM. The writer was struck by the beauty of Baikal, the taiga and the rivers. But what would he say if he saw the quicksand of the Charsky Kotel, the Kodar glaciers, the fells of the Badzhal Range, the Stanovoi highlands, covered with thick evergreen cedar. And the animal world! In the valley of Amguni live brown bears and moose, wolves and foxes; in the foothills of the mountain ranges - sable, squirrel, ermine. In the cedar forests of Gorina are hidden Himalayan bear, Harza, deerfish. There are also many spawning grounds for valuable fish species.

As rich as the nature of these places is, it is also fragile. In the BAM zone, a set of measures is planned to protect the environment. Much work is being done here in Siberia. Seventeen species of animals and birds of the country districts are listed in the Red Book of the USSR, and the black crane
and the red wolf- in the international. And the builders of BAM do everything to preserve the local nature in all its beauty.

8. SOLONI

It has become a tradition to send the Komsomol troops to the hardest tasks. In the history of the Baikal-Amur Mainline are firmly inscribed their names. The handwork of the detachments - the envoys of the Union republics, will be seen by a passenger in the form of stations such the Georgian Niya, the Armenian Tayur, the Belarusian Zolotinka, the Lithuanian Kunerma. Village Soloni is being built by envoys from Tajikistan. They will build a large trade and public center. It will house shops, a post office, telegraph, a cinema, a gym, a cafe, a library, a hotel. A new complex is designed by Dushanbe architects. Decorated modeling from comes from national Tajik material. These buildings will fit beautifully in the taiga landscape.

9. PAGES OF HISTORY

The first survey and design work on the Urgal- Komsomolsk began back in the thirties. In 1941 there was construction of the tunnel on the right shore of the Amur. On November 7 of the same year, the way was opened on lrshii Urgal - Izvestkovaya. But then came the war, and after two years, at a rapid pace, was built the strategically necessary line of  Komsomolsk-on-Amur-Soviet Harbor, with rails removed from the Urgal - Izvestkovaya line. After the war again began construction works which are now being brought to a conclusion.

10. FAR EASTERN RING

Urkaltu. It's not even a station — just a junction. So why the white-winged ten-meter proud obelisk Right wing - Urgal. Left Komsomolsk-on-Amur. The gap between them is connected by a narrow plate with the inscription: "Urkaltu" - a symbol of the "silver link”, which closed the ring.

Its southern half is the Trans-Siberian Railway. Now the BAM. In a single system, necessary for our economy, are such large railway junctions as Khabarovsk, Izvestkovaya, Urgal, Komsomolsk-on-Amur. The reliable BAM, will relieve the Trans-Siberian, overloaded with trains, by taking on part of the traffic.

11. JUNIOR BROTHER OF DONBASS

So is called the village of  Urgal-‚the main stronghold of the eastern section of the new coal basin, which will produce almost a million tons of coal a year. But not only coal makes big Donbass and small Urgal. What builds the new Urgal construction and installation train "UkrstroyBAM", is a large detachment of the Donbass Komsomol.

From scratch, where the first detachment arrived in 1974, grew a real city with clubs and cinema theaters, schools and kindergartens. During the trip to Siberia and the Far East, Secretary General of the  CPSU Central Committee and Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council USSR, Comrade L. I. Brezhnev said: “In the areas of construction it is necessary to create good conditions for life, to pay more attention to the construction of housing, clubs, schools and do it with the necessary scope and technical level, taking into account climatic conditions. This task is deeply important to the party".

12. STORK AND ALONKA

Thousands of kilometers from native rivers and gardens to distant cedar and pine forests flew a moltsavsky stork with a bunch of grapes in its beak. Here in the Far East the Alonka village is now his new home. Multi-story houses, a club, shop, stadium - all this is done by the hands of the volunteers from Moldavia. On the square, in front of the school, a six-meter figure of the hero of the civil war Sergey Lazo. Also built by the project teachers is a Polytechnic Institute named after S. Lazo.

There are the Moldovan decorations of the hall of the Alonka House of Culture where you can hear echoes of Moldavian melodies of "Brotherhood". Here, also, came amateur singers and dancers from Urgal in the spirit of socialist competition. There was an exhibition of volunteer creativity and art. Much of it about the heroic work and unique romance of life building the BAM.

See also: Trams and buses in the USSR -- A look at public transit in the Soviet Union, 1976

See also: Khabarovsk -- Images of the Soviet Far East, USSR 1975

Khabarovsk -- Images of the Soviet Far East, USSR 1975

Khabarovsk is a city that sits very close to the Chinese border at the confluence of the Amur and Ussuri Rivers. It is 500 miles to  the north of the more famous Russian far eastern city of Vladivostok.

During the Soviet era the city went through significant growth culturally, economically and in terms of population. By 1970 it was a metropolis with over 500,000 people living in it.

Published in the USSR in 1975, this postcard folder shows the city's various attractions, cityscapes and venues. In 1971 Khabarovsk had been awarded the Order of the October Revolution for "its great revolutionary service in the past and its outstanding economic and cultural achievements today."

A write up included with the folder (which we have scanned into this post) notes "there are hundreds of industrial and building enterprises, research and designing institutes, higher educational institutions, secondary and vocational schools and cultural establishments in the city."

Khabarovsk was where the Soviets held the last emperor of China for several years before turning him over to the new People's Republic.

The postcards are almost all panoramic in format and almost all have at least 2 or 3 images. There are lots of great shots including the photo of the Ferris Wheel, which were popular features in Soviet cities.  Also notable are the sport facilities, botanical gardens, fashion institute and the various squares, monuments and streets.

All descriptions have been included.

(Click on images to enlarge)

Shop Windows at Night / Lights in the Parks / River Buses Return from Pleasure Trips

Monument to Lenin, Natural Flowers

City Streets are like Riverbeds / Higher Party School /

Square Outside the Energomash Plant

View of Lenin Square / Corner of Karl Marx and Zaparin Streets

Khabarovsk House of Fashion / Part of Lenin Square

Basketball Court / Lenin Stadium / 

Students of the Khabarovsk Physical Culture Institute

Khabarovsk Suburban Orchards / Khekhtsir Preserve

Modern Architecture

Monument to G. I. Nevelskoy / Bratina - A Drinking Vessel of the Cossack Past /

Nature Corner in the Museum of Regional Studies

City Soviet / Komsomolskaya Square with Monument to the Heroes of the Civil War in the Far East / Iyun-Koran Hill with Monument to the Heroes of the Volochayevka Battles

Taiga Giants in Town / Monument to A. S. Pushkin in front of the Pedagogical Institute /

The Amur in the Evening

Khabarovsk Botanical Gardens

Time of Full Bloom / Crystal Springs / Fashion Designers at Work

On a Summer Day / Central Post Office

Art Museum

New Construction / Shop Floor of the Energomash Plant /

Komsomolskaya Square

Amur Freight Port and Beach

Far East Hotel / A Building on Zaparin Street /

Metal Architectural Decoration

Workers' District with the Sunrise Cinema House / Shady Nook /

Roofs of Khabarovsk

Railway Station Square / The "Orbita" T.V. Ground Receiving System Overlooks the Amur /

Airport

Controller's Panel at an Enterprise / In the Dockyard

See also: 20 Panoramic Views of Soviet Ulyanovsk 1969 -- Lenin's Birthplace

See also: The Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic 1987: Photos, Culture, Economy, History & more -- Socialist Republics of the Soviet Union Series