Major portion of the history of Nagaon District remains buried deep beneath its soil. Further, lack of proper and systematic archaeological research has resulted in a dearth of concrete historical evidences. Thus, the overall historical picture remains vague and indistinct. As per historical accounts, Nagaon was earlier spelt as "Nowgong". This densely populated region of Assam was amongst the chosen targets of violence during the subsequent Burmese rule in the late 1810. Further, there was no leadership to organize resistance movement against the Burmese.
After the arrival of British East India Company in the country, the Burmese were compelled to withdraw from Assam. Following the Treaty of Yandaboo (24 February) in 1826, this particular region of the province passed off silently into the hands of the British. History also recounts that Nagaon was carved out as a separate district administrative unit in the year 1832. It took a couple of years before the British finally settled on the present site on the bank of the Kollong River as the district headquarters in 1839. The district headquarters was called Nagaon and gradually it emerged into a town. It finally became a municipality in the year 1893.
Further, different minor feudal kings or their agents once ruled the eastern, western and southern segments of the newly organized district. An extensive and undulating plain intersected by big and small hills and rivers - the geography of the segments determined who their masters ought to be. This area was more of strategic than administrative concern. At the social level, a great majority of the people were the Vaishnavites (Who are the followers of Vaishnavism) Sankaradeva, the great saint of the era of Bhakti Movement was born at Bordowa, at a distance of 15 kilometres from the district headquarters. His life and work had been social exemplifiers and one can feel the long shadow of his influence even in the remotest part of Nagaon district.
Conscious of its strategic location, the administration of the district was always entrusted to officers of extraordinary merit. A local peasant uprising at Phulaguri in 1861 against government`s taxation policy was enough of an indication that the peasantry was not altogether a stolid and docile lot. The peasantry was also an active participant in the various stages of the national struggle for freedom. History of Nagaon District further states that the entire credit of introducing modern education in the district goes to Christian Missionaries. At one time, a large chunk of the Naga Hills, the Mikir Hills and North Cachar Hills were part of the district. With the passage of time, they were separated to form distinct districts. Nagaon is basically a rural conglomerate of agricultural population.
