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Old Roads
The first mention about the settlement, which today is called Old Roads, refers to the time of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, 1524. By the end of the century the settlement had been a part of Glusk volost, which was the property of the princes Golshanskys. After receiving the Magdeburg Law it had its own coat of arms "Hippocentaur", which was used by the Golshanskys themselves.
In the mid-17th century, the city had 95 houses and was owned by the Radziwill family, who ruled Slutsk Princedom at that time. During the Russian-Polish war (1654-1667) Roads was partially destroyed by the invaders, there were only 34 houses and 3 streets. At the end of the century 6 km from the settlement there appeared another one and since this time a united place has called Old Roads.
As a part of the Russian Empire
In 1793 old roads became a village of Bobruisk district.
In 1871 a tar works were opened in the village, and sawmill would work in 13 years. That’s how the development of woodworking gone.
In the mid-90s of the same century the Libavo-Romensky railway was built through Old Roads and there was opened a railway station. A railroad Osipovichi - Old Roads started working. Road transport was established from the station to Slutsk. All this together favoured the growth of the village and by that time there were hundreds of houses and more than 2,000 people. There were several shops, sawmill and plywood manufacturing plant worked. In the early 20th century Old Roads became a town. Nowadays you can find a shopping street of those times.
In 1914 a public school was opened in town. A year later it was possible to get by rail from Old Roads to Slutsk.
As a part of the USSR
In March 1918 was proclaimed the Belarusian People's Republic and Old Roads was a part of this state. After the World War I when it was occupied by the German and later Polish armies the town was found under the influence of the Soviet power (the Belarussian SSR). Beginning 1924 Old Roads became a district center.
The Great Patriotic war in Old Roads
In the 40s of the 20th century 28% of the city was the Jews (over 1000 inhabitants). Synagogues and yeshivas were opened for this category of people.
The town was captured by a Nazi army in June 1941. Almost all the Jewish population was collected in a closed ghetto arranged in the areas of Gorky, Sverdlov, Uritsky and Kirov Streets. On Kirov Street was a Jewish school.
January 19, 1942 is a bloody day in the history of Old Roads. The Jews were mass executed here. Later were shot other residents and prisoners of war. In total 4,000 people were killed by the invaders. One of the execution places in a military town was immortalized with a monument to “The victims of fascism” in 1995. Old Roads was freed on July 28, 1944 during the operation "Bagration".
By the end of the war near Old Roads there worked a camp, which transported liberated from captivity and survivors of the Holocaust. In 1945 schools started working and in 1950 libraries and reading houses started working as well.
A post-war period
In the 60s the administration of Old Road was changed several times. At first Old Roads district was liquidated and the lands were divided between Slutsk and Osipovichi districts, but then Old Roads became a district center again.
Today the population of the town is about 11.5 thousand people.
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