The northern part of the district belongs to the basin of the Sharzhenga River, a left tributary of the Yug.

In the 14th–15th centuries, during the colonization, it was a disputed territory between the Grand Duchy of Moscow and the Novgorod Republic.

[10] Novgorod controlled the major part of the Russian North, and, in particular, all areas along the Sukhona River northeast of Nikolsky District.

In the course of the administrative reform carried out in 1708 by Peter the Great, the area was included into Archangelgorod Governorate.

In 1918, the area was transferred to the newly established Northern Dvina Governorate with the administrative center located in Veliky Ustyug.

In July 1930, the okrugs were abolished, and the districts were directly subordinated to Northern Krai.

The problem was solved when the road to Pyshchug and Manturovo, both in Kostroma Oblast, was built in the end of the 1990s.

The main activity of the farms is cattle breeding, pork production, and linum growing.

[12] Paved roads connect Nikolsk with Pyshchug and Manturovo in the south, crossing the border with Kostroma Oblast, with Totma in the west, and with Veliky Ustyug via Kichmengsky Gorodok in the north.

[13] Several kilometers of tracks at the eastern end of the Monza Railroad, including Kema terminal station, are located within the district.

The district contains 137 objects (60 of them located in Nikolsk) classified as cultural and historical heritage of local importance.