"Oh, Kupiškis town in all ways has got fame ...", these are the words that echo from a poem written by Kupiškis folklore poetess U.Tamosiūnaitė almost one hundred years ago.
It was the year of 1480 when Kupiškis name was mentioned for the first time in written chronicles. It was the time when a student named “Stanislaus Johannis de Cupyschky”, i.e. Stanislovas Jonaitis from Kupiškis, was enlisted into the Krakow University. In 1529 Kupiškis was mentioned in the chronicles as a lord owned town.
The town establishment started from its Northern part which is distinct by a beautiful mound looming there. Archaeological findings and insight of historians witness of a wooden castle erected on this mound in XIII century. Lots about ferocious fights with aggressors in these surroundings are described in legends that reach us from centuries ago.
In XVI century Kupiškis was being established at the main road between Vilnius and Riga. This was the road on which the flax raised in Kupiškis Country could reach even the Western Europe. Žygimantas Augustas, the Great King of Lithuania and Poland, also used this road when in 1557 came on his visit to Kupiškis.
In the course of centuries, three fires devastated Kupiškis, which by 1561 had become a center of a small rural district. After the fire of 1866, scattered people of Kupiškis settled up in the neighborhood new villages called Aukštupėnai, Račiupėnai and Smilgiai.
Burned town was reconstructed in 1873 and the reason for this restoration was railway Daugpilis-Radviliškis route passing by Kupiškis town. Installation of this railway livened up the trading in grain and flax.
P.Matulionis, a forester, was the first to publish the historical past of Kupiškis. He wrote an essay called ,,Kupiškis and Its People" in Kupiškis local dialect and had it printed in America in 1891.
Almost by the middle of XX century Kupiškis was famous by its skillful handicrasftsmen, like sleigh (”Lineika” – Lith.) masters, clay potters and blacksmiths.
The World War II and the post war period has left deep and painful scars in memories of Kupiškis town people.
Today Kupiškis is the capital of the Local Municipality and Kupiškis village Administration Office.
There is a fountain playing in Kupiškis Central Square named after L.Stuoka-Gucevicius. The square is also known for oak-cut personages from play called “Old-Time Kupiškis Wedding”. Among them passers-by can easily recognize
Peace lingers about at the memorial to J.Černius, General of the Independent Lithuania, located at Gediminas Street. Soon a park will thrive in the neighborhood which was planted in the memory of 80th anniversary of the Lithuanian Society for Country Decoration.
Professor P.Matulionis's memorial house standing on the street also named after him, is often visited by excursions aiming to get acquainted with the life and activities of Lithuanian forestry father.
The displays of the past times are kept at the Ethnography Museum where exhibitions of modern artists' works are held as well. The Public Library has become a center of education. Lights in the Cultural Center windows are not put out till ate at night. Future generation of the District attend L.Stuoka- Gucevičius's name High School and P. Matulionis's name Secondary School.
Wood processing workshops of American Compan; “Ochoco Lumber”, the first foreign enterprise in tin town, are located at the very edge of Kupiškis town. At next to the crossing of Panevezys, Rokiskis and Utena roads.
Five main roads enter Kupiškis town. At the dusk no matter which side you would access the town settled on Lėvuo and Kupa rivers, Church of the Christ Ad vancing the Heaven illuminated like a sacred picture can be seen from all sides.