The State Publishing House had its origins in Imperial Russia as the Royal Print Yard in St. Petersburg. As the Red Army controlled more provinces and cities in former Imperial Russia, the State Publishing House developed offices outside St. Petersburg. Tsaritsin, a city in southwest Russia on the bank of the Volga River, was named Stalingrad (1925–1961) and then Volgograd in November 1961. The Volgograd Oblast (region) was named Stalingrad Oblast from January 1934 until November 1961.