Tatyana Kuznetsova, who worked for over fifty years at this music school, shared memories of how the building originally served as a private home, then functioned as a children's library and even a narcological hospital.
According to historical records, the city of Przhevalsk also preserved many wooden houses, which became a common practice after the earthquake of 1887 when many clay structures became uninhabitable.
The earthquake, also known as the "Vernensky," occurred at 4:35 AM when most residents were asleep. It claimed the lives of 332 people and left the city in ruins. According to state councilor V.K. Igumnov, the church, prison, and district administration in the Issyk-Kul district were damaged, and many houses and bridges were destroyed or damaged. He described how the riverbeds changed and how in some places the ground sank, and roads cracked.
Igumnov also reported on the situation in the Naryn Valley. In one of his reports dated July 10, 1889, he mentioned that the damage in the Naryn region was minimal; however, in the mountains, nomads lost a lot of livestock.
Significant attention in the reports was given to the consequences of the tremors, which destroyed the yurts of the nomads and threatened their lives. One tragic case involved an 80-year-old man who died while trying to save his wife.
For reference, you can view the map located below.
