Valery Shantzev, governor of Nizhegorodskyi Province, seemed upbeat on the international festival of Russian folk arts and crafts in the town of Semenov in 2007, where he said
- Certainly, we can name the town of Semenov as a capital of Russian folk art and craft creativity. After a while this town will be the center of international tourism. Semenov babooshka nesting dolls and Golden Khokhloma are the symbols of Russia since a long time.

Legend says about Semenov foundation in 17 century.
-In the old days these forests were full of games, the rivers were full of fishes. Many people have settled here, on the shore of local river Sanohta.

At that time one family lived there - Semen Lozhkar with wife and daughters. It was really good forest here and a good wood too. So the man has carved wooden spoons in long winter evenings. Fine and lungs have been obtained his spoons. He cut wooden toys also and daughters with wife decorated them. After painting they baked them in stove to fix paints. In Summer Semen went to market and sold the products. Many wanted to study his handicraft. In some time the hamlet Semenov has appeared this place named in honor of Semen Lozhkar.

In a little while Semenov spoons spread throughout Russia-mother. The news of the miraculous master Semen came to Empress Catherine. And she arrived one day to have a look. Empress liked in the Semenov village and she issued a decree to rename the village to the town of Semenov. She made sketch of the plan which was the blue-on-blue as plan of the city of Paris. Empress Catherine has named Semenov "a small Paris."

So glorious town of Semenov has appeared on the banks of the river Sanohta. Skills of carving and painting on wooden kitchenware passed on from generation to generation. In 1920 Sergiev Posad matryoshka nesting doll has appeared in Semenov. Babushka nesting dolls fast settled here thanks to skills of local masters. The doll has received the original design - red or yellow kerchief, pleasant face with bright glow and large red flowers in front.