FORMER MESHCHANSKAYA
An article titled "The Treasure of the Pishpek Constable" was published in the newspaper "Komsomolets of Kyrgyzstan" on July 18, 1958, telling the story of a resident of the city, M. A. Shavrin, who, while digging a pit, discovered an iron box at a depth of 70 cm.
Inside were silver goblets, glass holders, cases, tea and table spoons, forks, a metal box with coins and medals... This was in one of the houses on Kyrgyz Street. The treasure reminded people of I. G. Gribanovsky, one of the tsarist satraps, who brutally dealt with the rebelling Kyrgyz in 1916. The treasure also evoked memories of the street's past. Meshchanskaya... Just the name suggests that it was primarily inhabited by the bourgeoisie—the main estate of the urban population, with some being tsarist officials and officers. As on all streets, here, single-story squat houses were occasionally interspersed with houses on brick foundations belonging to wealthy individuals, tsarist officials, and officers. Some of them have survived to this day.
At the beginning of this century, at the corner of Tserkovnaya Street (since 1924 - Karl Marx Street, since 1974 - M. Ryskulov Street), there was the so-called city public administration, and opposite it were a prison and a hospital. That was all its "sights".
In 1924, Meshchanskaya Street was renamed Kyrgyz Street. In 1938, at the intersection with Dungan Street (since 1954 - Kievskaya), a newly established research institute of epidemiology, microbiology, and hygiene settled in a good one-story house, which operated here for over 30 years. The organizer and long-time director of the institute was the prominent scientist, Professor B. L. Elbert.
The street remained this way until the 1970s. During these years, it underwent significant transformation, especially the part between Moscow Street and the 50th Anniversary of the Kyrgyz SSR Avenue. Here, four-story buildings of the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz SSR (1973, architect V. Kurbatov) and the Kyrgyz Scientific Research Institute of Soil Science were erected. It also houses the design institute "Kyrgyzgiprozem" and the editorial office of the magazine "Agriculture of Kyrgyzstan".
The modern building of the Kyrgyz State Order of the Red Banner of Labor Academic Drama Theater (architects F. M. and M. G. Yevseyev) harmoniously fits into the landscape of the street.
Simple, clear, and strict forms. The interior walls separating the foyer from the auditorium are decorated with artistic embossing and carving. The auditorium, designed for 800 people and shaped like a hexagon, consists of a parterre and an amphitheater.
The laying of the theater building took place on September 9, 1965, with the participation of theater artists and guests—artists from the Moscow Art Academic Theater named after Gorky. Among them were popular figures like V. Livanov, M. Kedrov, M. Yanshin, A. Stepanova. After the rally, attendees signed on a concrete cube that was laid in the pit for the foundation.
On November 7, 1970, a solemn meeting of the capital's public dedicated to the 53rd anniversary of the October Socialist Revolution took place in the new theater building. A large concert was then held. Thus, the theater began its life.
The theater's collective consisted of a group of young people who graduated from the State Institute of Theater Arts in 1941. Among them were A. Abdubachaev, M. Ibraev, R. Aydaralieva, N. Kitaev, A. Sargaldayev, and others, as well as older generation artists A. Aibashev, A. Botaliev, D. Kuyukova, B. Kydykeeva, K. Kuttubaeva, K. Eshimbekov, Sh. Tyumenbaev, B. Benshenbaeva, S. Zhamanov, S. Kumushalnieva, M. Ryskulov, A. Sarbagishev, and many others.
The first performance "King Lear" was shown on September 21, 1941. Since then, the theater has gone through a great and glorious path. About 100 plays have been staged on its stage. Its collective has been replenished with young talented artists.
From Lenin Avenue to Frunze Street, all old buildings have been demolished. In their place, a park has spread out.
At the end of 1977, at the intersection with Frunze Street, a two-story building of the Institute of Party History at the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan was completed, featuring excellent working spaces, an archival storage facility, and a library. Founded in 1950, the Institute develops issues related to the history of the Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan and conducts significant work on translating the works of the classics of Marxism-Leninism into Kyrgyz. It publishes collections of works.
From the Institute of Party History to the 50th Anniversary of the Kyrgyz SSR Avenue, the street is lined with multi-story residential, public, and administrative buildings.
In 1974, the year of the 50th anniversary of the Kyrgyz SSR and the Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan, the street was renamed to bear the name of Abdykadir Orozbekov—one of the active fighters for Soviet power in Kyrgyzstan, and later a prominent statesman. A. Orozbekov (1889-1938) was born in the village of Okhna, now part of the Frunze district, Osh region, in the family of a tea worker. As a young boy, he had to earn his bread. In 1907, he worked as a baker in various cities of the Fergana region. After the October Revolution, A. Orozbekov became one of the organizers of the Red Guards. In 1918, he joined the party. He actively participated in several operations against the Basmachis. Since 1920, he has been doing significant work to strengthen Soviet power.
After the national demarcation, A. Orozbekov was appointed head of the land department of the Osh district revolutionary committee. In 1925, he participated in the work of the 1st regional congress of the Soviets of the Kyrgyz Autonomous Region, where he was elected chairman of the regional executive committee, and in March 1927, at the 1st Constituent Congress of the Soviets, he became the chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the Kyrgyz ASSR. He participated in the All-Russian Congress of Soviets, where he was elected a member of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, and later the Central Executive Committee of the USSR.
For his merits in the fight against the Basmachis, he was awarded combat weapons. In 1932, he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor by the government of the Uzbek SSR.
Losev D. S., Kochkunov A. S. What the Streets Tell
Streets of Bishkek
