History of Kargı

Kargı October 2010

Kargı is a district located in the northwest of Çorum, within the Kızılırmak (Red River) Valley and on the Osmancık-Tosya highway. It lies about 113 km from the provincial center, and by its position the district serves as a transition point between Çorum and Kastamonu. The fertile valley floor watered by the Kızılırmak has shaped both the settlement and the agricultural identity of the district.

History

Like many settlements in Anatolia, the Kargı region bears traces of different eras; its location on the natural transit routes of the interior regions opening onto the Black Sea pushes the history of the settlement far back in time. Administratively, the province to which the district belonged has changed over time: until 1936, Kargı was governed sometimes under Osmancık and sometimes under Tosya. In 1936 it was made a district and attached to the province of Kastamonu, and in 1956 it was attached to the province of Çorum. These administrative transitions led the district to forge ties with both the Kastamonu and the Çorum cultural basins.

Historic Monuments

Among the best-known historic monuments in the district are the Mihrihatun Mosque and its bath, said to have been built in the village of Karaseki in the name of Mihrihatun, the wife of Murad IV; the mosque in the village of Oğuz, accepted as a remnant of the Seljuks; and the Hacıhamza Castle and Inn. These structures show that the region was an important settlement and transit line during the Seljuk and Ottoman periods as well. For the related buildings, see also the pages on the Mihri Hatun Mosque, the Oğuz Köyü Mosque, and, in the district, the Sinan Paşa Inn and the Sinan Paşa Complex.

Highland Pastures and Tourism

Kargı’s highland pastures (yaylas) are counted among the district’s most important tourist destinations. The Abdullah Yayla has infrastructure facilities available and is convenient for accommodation. In addition, with the Kargı Yayla, the Eğinönü Yayla, and the Aksu, Göl, Örencik, Karaboyu and Gökçedoğan pastures, the region presents an appearance well suited to highland tourism. For the pastures in the region, the pages on the Abdullah Yayla and the Kargı Yayla can be reviewed.

Geographical Structure

The district has a surface area of 1,277 km² and an elevation of about 450 m. In the district, which is under the influence of the Black Sea climate, the annual average precipitation has been recorded as 360.3 mm. Its location within the Kızılırmak Valley is a determining factor in terms of both water resources and agricultural production.

Administrative Structure and Population

According to the 2000 census, the population of the district center was determined as 5,728, and the total population including the villages as 20,388. The district has one town (Hacıhamza) and 58 villages under its administration.

Economic and Social Situation

The district economy is largely based on agriculture. In the district, which has an agricultural area of 20,800 hectares, the most important source of livelihood is the cultivation of paddy (rice); the production of okra also stands out as one of the products characteristic of the region. Livestock farming likewise holds an important place in the livelihood of the people; the number of cattle has been recorded as 13,769 and the number of sheep and goats as 22,140. In the district center there are seven rice mills, one textile factory, one plastics factory, one wood-processing factory and one marble factory.

Education, Culture and Health

In the district, a total of 1,991 students study across 21 primary schools, together with two general high schools, one Vocational and Technical Education Center, one multi-program high school and one boarding primary school. In terms of health services, the district has a 50-bed State Hospital and four health centers, one each in the town of Hacıhamza and in the villages of Yeşilköy and Gökçedoğan.

ℹ️ This article has been enriched with additional historical context and editing over the original archive content.