From the 15th to the beginning of the 18th centuries, the territory of the modern Kukmorsky district was part of the Arskaya Daruga of the Kazan Khanate and later was transferred into the eponymous county (uyezd). The village of Zavod Kukmor was established in the 17th century next to a copper ore deposit and metal mining was organized later by Russian artisans. In the 18th century, the demand for copper ore increased significantly and the merchant Absalyamov opened a copper plant in the village. During the Pugachev uprising the plant supplied the rebels with weapons. The local workers were not satisfied with their living and working conditions and expected the victory of the uprising. Because of this, production was shut down until the beginning of the 19th century. Since 1781, the northern part of the Kukmorsky region belonged to the Koshkinsky and Sardykbash volosts of the Malmyzhsky uyezd within the Vyatka province. During the Patriotic War of 1812, the Kukmor plant also supplied volunteers. In 1830, a significant part of the workers were taken to the Urals to work at another enterprise. Soon after the copper reserves in Kukmor were depleted and the plant finally fell into decay. In 1851 the enterprise burned down and was never rebuilt. Around the same time, the village was renamed as Bolshoi Kukmor and a private factory for the production of copper dishes was opened on the site of the old factory. In 1900, there were three steam factories in Kukmor making felted footwear and galoshes. At this time in the village of Kukmor there were factories with the latest technological equipment: steam engines and electricity, telephones, a postal and telegraph station. In 1901, a 20-bed hospital was opened in the village at the expense of the zemstvo.