Dargužia, formerly Darkus, was first mentioned in written sources in 1566. In 1848, the village plan of Dargužiai showed 51 farms. Other residents were also listed: 23 farmers, 2 soldier families and 3 gardeners. There was a tavern in the village run by Jews. During the years of the press ban, the bookseller Jurgis Uždavinys lived in the village, who had relations with Bishop Valančius and Jurgis Bieliniú. During the Tsar's rule, there was a secret Lithuanian school. The origin of the place name Dargužiai is not known exactly, but the old people have a nice story about it: supposedly, fishermen once came by boat on the Merkis River. When they saw this beautiful place on a hill, they stopped and decided to settle here. The surname or first name of a fisherman was Dargužis. The name of the settlement comes from him. In 1869, after the abolition of serfdom, the number of farmsteads remained unchanged, but at the end of the 19th century, the number of farmsteads and the population increased significantly. Previously large families began to break up, divided the allotted land, and buildings became denser. In the 19th century, a large part of the population was mainly engaged in agriculture. At the beginning, more than 600 residents lived in the village, but in 1944, when the German army retreated, half of the buildings in the village were burned down by them. From 1920-1999, there was an elementary school. During the Soviet period, Dargužiai was the central settlement of the collective farm. There was a library, a cultural center and a first-aid post. After the establishment of collective farms, part of the farm buildings were nationalized and demolished. In 1993, the historical part of the village was entered into the cultural heritage register. It has retained much of its 19th century architecture. The old farmsteads are typical of the street villages of the time. The floor plan is usually such that the house is on the street. Next to it is the barn, which is oriented towards the end of the property.
Source: Information board on site
Translated by Google •
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