Andrei Matveyevich Baikov entered the history of Rostov-on-Don as one of the best mayors. This energetic and honest man led the current capital of Southern Russia for 14 years, transforming it from a provincial town into a thriving center. Thanks to his efforts, Rostov gained a full-fledged water supply system, cultural life flourished, schools and hospitals were built, and locals began to dress as well as the fashionable city dwellers. Gradually, Rostov expanded and became one of the leading cities in Southern Russia.

Andrei Matveyevich was not born in Rostov, but in Kharkiv, in the family of St. Petersburg nobles, the Baikovs. His career began in Pyatigorsk, where he immortalized the memory of Lermontov, and then continued in Rostov-on-Don, where he first became the head of the city in 1862. Rostov became his home, and he devoted all his energy to its development, even investing his own funds.

Between two periods of leadership in Rostov, he lived for 10 years in the Stavropol Territory, where he worked as a magistrate and was repeatedly recognized for his honest service. In 1884, he returned to the position of head of Rostov and remained in this role until his death. In 1889, succumbing to persuasion, he went for treatment in the Tyrolean town of Merano, where he passed away on September 18, 1889. His body was transported to Rostov-on-Don and buried at the All Saints Cemetery, which was later destroyed by the Bolsheviks.

For 70 years, the Soviet government silenced his name: the street was renamed, the bridge named in his honor was destroyed, and his grave was obliterated, with a Sports Palace built in its place. However, the memory of Baikov lives on. Today, his name is known to many Rostov residents, and he is discussed in schools. In 2006, a bust of Baikov was installed at the local water utility building, and in 2013, a monument to this outstanding mayor appeared in the city center. In 2015, the medal '185 years to Baikov' was established, and a plaque telling his story was placed at the site of the destroyed Banking Bridge.