The paper deals with the history of construction of the Zeya hydroelectric power station and the Baikal-Amur Mainline. Using the State Archive’s documents of the Amur region and the funds of the party committee of the Zeya hydroelectric power station, the Komsomol Committee of “ZeyaGESstroy”, construction department of the Zeya HPS, as well as recollections of eyewitnesses of the construction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline, the author described the stages of construction of Zeya hydroelectric power station and the Baikal-Amur Mainline, examined the relationship between the volume of construction of the main facilities and the creation of housing and social infrastructure in the city of Zeya and the villages of the central section of BAM construction. General patterns and differences in the development of housing and social facilities construction in the Northern settlements of the Amur region were identified, taking into account the climatic and seismic features of the region.