Novosibirsk was founded in 1893 on the Ob River crossing point of the future Trans-Siberian Railway, where the Novosibirsk Rail Bridge was constructed. Originally named Novonikolayevsk, the city grew rapidly into a major transport, commercial, and industrial hub. The city was ravaged by the Russian Civil War but recovered during the early Soviet period, and gained its present name in 1926. Under the leadership of Joseph Stalin, Novosibirsk became one of the largest industrial centers of Siberia. Following the outbreak of World War II, the city hosted many factories relocated from European Russia.