Kashary, Rural administrative settlement in Rostov Oblast, Russia

Kashary is a sloboda and the administrative center of the Kasharsky rural district in Rostov Oblast, Russia. The settlement sits along the Olkhovaya River and is made up of residential houses, a local history museum, and municipal buildings spread along its main street.

The settlement was founded in 1790 under the name Verkhne-Olkhovaya, taking its name from the river beside it. In the 1840s it was renamed Kashary, a word tied to the sheep pastures that covered much of the surrounding steppe.

The Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, built in 1839, still stands at the center of the settlement and is the most visible building when walking along the main street. Services are still held there, making it an active part of daily life rather than just a historical remnant.

The center of Kashary is easy to walk through, as the museum and the church are close to each other along the main street. Visiting in warmer months is a good idea, since roads and paths across the steppe can be harder to navigate in winter.

In 1911, a telephone line was installed in Kashary, making it one of the first places in this part of the steppe to be connected to the outside world by wire. Before that, the settlement had no direct communication link with neighboring towns.