Since the beginning of our statehood, the north-eastern areas of
Mazovia have been a property of Mazovian Dukes, however after the
incorporation of Mazovia into the Crown (1526) they became the property
of the Polish Kings. Royal lands were characterised by not enough
fertile, sandy soil , swamps, peatbogs and were covered by thick
forests. Therefore the area between the Orzyc River in the west,
the Narew River in the south, the Pisa River in the east and Prussian
border in the north hasn't been colonised for ages. It doesn't mean
that the Green Primeval Forest hasn't been utilised. Exploitation
of the forest dates from the 14th-15th century. However it was limited
to cutting down trees, floating of t timber down the Narew and Vistula
Rivers towards Gdansk and to other forest activities- hunting, keeping
of wild forest bees, oreing and primitive wood-distillation. People
dealing with these "industries", which were treated by
them as seasonal ones, lived outside the forest (in Nowogrod, Ostroleka,
Rozan, Przasnysz and neighbouring villages) and cultivated the soil.
Since the second half of the 17th century it has beeffsaid about
permanent colonisation of Zagajnica. Affluence of people was caused
by tremendous damages of the country after "Swedish flood",
pestilence, epidemics, crash of farm economy and as a result villein
oppression. Escape to not remote but hardly accessible places i.e.
the Green Primeval Forest was a certain kind of protest. Starosts
of Lomza, Ostroleka and Przasnysz supported colonisation expecting
to gain the future profits . On the other hand newcomers gained
the status of free people being under the king's authority. They
were the only peasant group in the country which had a right to
posses a weapon. Contact with the weapon created famous and well
known shooting skills as well as bravery and courage in the fights
against invaders. Affluence of colonists and clearing of lands in
forests caused decline of forest activities. The settlement of that
area had lasted to the end of 18th century when the forests villages
became overpopulated. The first half of the 19th century brought
liquidation of keeping wild forest bees law and cutting down the
forests . All these factors caused converse process - emigration
"for bread" to the west of Europe and then to America.
Not all people emigrated. Inhabitants of Kurpie led not rich but
highly efficient and self-sufficient economy. Kurpie was well-known
during succeeding patriotic uprisings. Attachment to freedom, skills
of using weapons made Kurpie Rifle Brigades most distinguish during
the Kosciuszko and November Insurrections. Inhabitants of the Myszyniec
Primeval Forest supported commander-in-chief Zygmunt Padlewski during
the January Insurrection (the battle of Myszyniec). The region suffered
serious losses because of warfare during the First World War and
met further adversities (removals, contributions, wasteful exploitation)
during the Second World War. Slow but systematic changes have improved
a lot of spheres of Kurpie life since mid 50's. It relates to both
construction industry, agricultural engineering, education and general
standard of living of an average Kurpie family. Utilisation of natural
and cultural advantages of the region enables to improve economic
conditions of its inhabitants.
10000 years BC - the oldest traces of man's settlements in
the vicinity of Ostrołęka.
12th cent. - first Mazovian settlers came to the environs
of Ostrołęka. A defensive borough was founded at the spot where
the present day Ostroa is located.
1373 - Ostrołęka was bestowed urban rights.
1393 - the first written notice about the county of Ostrołęka
Turn of 14th cent. - The village of Troszyn was founded.
14th-15th cent. - the beginning of settlement in the Kurpie
Forest (or Green Forest) and its exploitation.
1398 - the village of Czerwin was founded.
1399 - a parish was created in Ostrołęka.
14 /15th cent. - the village of Kleczkowo was founded (district
of Troszyn). In 16th cent. it received the urban rights, but due
to the lack of good conditions for development, lost it soon.
1526 - the Mazovia Region was joined to the Polish Kingdom.
Ostrołęka became the royal town; 'the golden period' in the town's
history began and continued till the great plague and fire in 1563.
Mid 17th cent. - Jesuits built the missionary chapel in the
virgin forest in order to face the influence of Protestantism from
Prussia. It was the cradle of the future town of Myszyniec.
1656 - detachments from Kurpie fought against Swedish military
forces. Ostrołęka was captured.
1666 -Bernardine brethren arrived in Ostrołęka. They stayed
in the town till the dissolution of the convent in 1864.
1673 - the village of Lipniki was founded. The Kurpie Region
was inhabited by about 1000 people at that time.
1673 - 83 - bee-keeping files mentioned new villages: Kadzidło,
Wach, Zawady and Obierwia.
18th cent. - Ostrołęka and the Virgin Forest were devastated
by the Swedish, Russian, Saxon and Polish troops marching through
22/23.01.1708 - a battle between the Kurpie people and the
Swedish was fought near Kopański Most. Stach Konwa - later well-known
hero- took an important part in it.
1791 - Myszyniec received municipal authority. Lost it in
1869 and regained in 1993.
1794 -Wielkopolske National Cavalry under command of mp brigadier
left Ostrołęka for Cracow. It speeded up the Kościuszko Uprising.
1795 - the county under the Prussian government was included
in Neweastern Prussia. At that time 51.432 inhabitants lived there.
1807 - a battle between the French and the Russian armies
was fought near Ostrołęka. The name Ostrołęka was engraved on the
Triumphal Arch in commomeration of the Victory of the French. Since
then the county belonged to Warsaw Principality
1815 - since then the county belonged to the Polish Kingdom.
1820 - 26 000 inhabitants lived in Kurpie.
26.05.1831 - a battle between tsar and Polish armies in Ostrołęka;
The Russians won. Lieutenant- colonel Józef Bem won fame in that
1848 - the writer Wiktor Gomulicki the author of 'Memories
of the blue Uniform' was born in Ostrołęka .
Turn of 19th cent. - Kurpie inhabitants and impoverished
by the uporising gentry started migrating to Ostrołęka attracted
by the erection of the first tenement houses, a rainway station,
a prizon, brickworks and barreck.
1893 - 97 - railway tracks connected Ostrołęka and the county
with Małkinia, Łapy and Tłuszcz.
1915 -While retreating in fear of the Germans, the Russians
burnt Ostrołęka. German occupants electrified the town, and having
captured the northern part of Mazovia, built a narrow-gauged railway
system which helped them to transport wood.
1918 - Poland regained independence. The county was added
to Bialystok Province and in 1939 to Warsaw province.
6/7.0.1920 - the Red Army captured Ostrołęka.
1939-44 - during the war the Kurpie part of the county belonged
to the German Reich; south-western part belonged to German - Occupied
Poland and the south-eastern to the USSR (till 1941).
September 1944 - January 1945 - the Red Army captured the Ostrołęka
1951 - 74 - the heat and power station, cellulose and paper
manufacture and meat factory were built in Ostrołęka.
1954 - administrative reform; common national councils were
1973 - administrative reform; districts were estabished.
1975 - liquidation of counties; Ostrołęka became the seat
of Ostrołęka Province.
1999 - counties were re-established Ostrołęka has become
the seat of the country.