It is known that Duke Yury Dolgorucky won the Mikor Kitterh over from the Cheremisses in 1152 and named it Yorodety Radilov and sent his son Basil to reign it. In order to have a reserve in Yorodety for defense from the attacks of the Mordvas, Cheremisses, Volgian Bolgars the duke founded another fortress on the other bunk of the Volga, near his residence. Its first inhalations the duke's warriors, were free not to pay taxes. This gave rise, to the name of Vassilieva Sloboda.
In the XVth c. Vassilieva Sloboda was in the possession of Dmitry Donskoy's cousin - Vladimir Andreevich. Then it came over to Basil Schuysky his wife died in Boshessenky convent in Moscow. She was a nun and she bequeathed the village to convent for Voznessensky prayer for the dead in the Schuysky family.

In Sloboda proper on the bunk of Volga stood Voznessensky convint, which belonged with all its lands. Besides on the area of Vasilieva Sloboda - Archangels convent, and two trearees - Pokrovsky and Trinity monasteries. In 1764 archbishop Pitirim abolished them on the ground of their poverty and since then Sloboda became a state economic village.

Vassilieva Sloboda was not on the greater part involved in historical events, its population was small. However, not one did it take part together with Gorodetz in the local wars, in the fights with the Ugrofin tribes, and in time of Troubles they fought the Poles. Thus on the 4th of January, 1916 the people's volunteer corps under command of D.M.Pozharsky and a detachment of cavalry under prince Likov - Obolensky shattered the Polish army under Zarutzky and Jatzky.
The inhabitants were engaged in different trades, pottery was widespread. In the middle of the XIX century in Vassilievo there were up to 25 pottery workshops.
Cargo boats with earthenware crockery were floated down the Volga to the Kama in springtime. Besides, the peasants of the neighboring villages made various kinds of wood and wither things.
These were sold in the down regions, and on the money they bought quite cheap in those regions corn.

The corn was sold in Vassilievo itself and in the Upper Volga areas. The article about Vassilievo of the middle of the previous century in the old-dated encyclopedia runs us following: "inhabitants of the both sexes 625, housekeeping units 130, 4 churches, 2 chapels, a school, 20 shops, 4 taverns." Gradually Vassilieva Sloboda grew into a large trade village.

At the end of the last century it was decided to build in Vassilievo state workshops, which dealt in restoring the dredgining fleet. This decision was caused by the need to have a backwater for winter stay and repair of dredgers used for deepening the navigating channel of the Volga, which was rapidly growing shallower. In September 1883 the construction of the workshop began. That was a considerable push for the further development of the village. On the steep bank of the Volga sprang up new houses and whole streets. In the village there appeared a lot of new comers among which was a boiler-maker from Sormovo Pavel Grigorievich Tchkalov. He built a well-constructed, spacious house on the very bank. In 1904 the son, Valery, was born into the family and he became later a celebrated pilot, known throughout the country.

In 1917 Soviet regime was established in the village, which went rather smoothly. The whole body of the fleet staying in the backwater was preserved, repaired and prepared for nationalization, and consequently many boats were modificated for the Volga Navy.
After the revolution in the merchants houses of the village various establishments were quartered, a school and workers club.
In the 20-ies the state workshops of Vassilievo turned into a large shipbuilding plant by Ulyanov (Lenin)./p>

In 1936 -1937 V.P. Tchkalov, already a famous pilot, and his crew made two heroic flights to the Far East and the USA. In 1936 Tchkalov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, in August of 1937 after the return of Tchkalov's crew from the USA the settlement was given another name to meet the request of its inhabitants - Tchkalovsk
The memory of the wartime for the inhabitants bears a very special seal in their minds. In the stone of the obelisk are carved the names of those who never came back from the battle-fields in Second World War.

Many people from Tchkalovsk are awarded medals and decorations for their Special Services; four of the awarded became Heroes of the Soviet Union. They are fire-platoon officer A.J. Grachev, pilot R.S. Gasheva, tank man V.V. Klotchkov, and infantry soldier A.P. Koryakov.

On the home front the workers of the plant by Ulyanov (Lenin) manufactured products for the front.
In 1942 people of Tchkalovsk initiated formation of air squadron "Valery Tchkalov". For this purpose about 210 million rubles were collected in the oblast.

The 50-ies appeared very hard for the population of Tchkalovsk. The construction of Gorky Hydroelectric power station threatened to submerge the major part of Tchkalovsk. There was going to be much work to transfer people's lodgings and different establishments. A new place was chosen for the plant.

In 1955 Tchkalovsk became a town. He began to acquire many of the traits, which it possesses now. The industry developed, new enterprises appeared.
At present in the town function "Tchkalovskaya Shipyard" Ltd, "Polyot" Ltd, clothes and stitching factories. The clothes factory produces things for the smallest citizens of the country. The unique products of high aesthetic value of the stitches are known not only in this country but in many others as well. There is a winemaking plant, and a number of other organizations and enterprises.

The memory of Tchkalov is perpetuated not only in the name of the town. Since 1940 Tchkalov museum has been receiving tourists to acquaint them with the unique displays connected with the biography and work of the celebrated pilot. In this memory that year a fine palace of culture was erected on the Volga bank. The name of Tchkalov was given to the street he lived in.
In the new part of the town a square was built and named after Tchkalov. In the center of the square stands a monument made of bronze to the hero - countryman. But the most grateful memory is the everlasting people's memory of their hero.