Botma presumably emerged in the second half of the 16th century and differed from neighboring Russian settlements in nationality and social status. The stone Nicholas church was built in 1907, and services began in 1910. The temple, which had beautiful architectural forms and decorative elements, was closed in 1941 and blown up in 1955 before the creation of the Kuibyshev Reservoir. From 1952 to 1955, most of the residents of Botma relocated from the flood zone to higher ground.

In August 2014, as part of the second underwater expedition in the Ulyanovsk region, an examination of the waters of the Kuibyshev Reservoir was conducted at the site of the submerged village, but the remains of the foundation of the Nicholas church could not be found. In February 2015, with the help of a special robot and video camera, participants in the historical-geographical expedition discovered a well-preserved foundation of the temple.

Despite its significant size and population, Botma remained a village for a long time. In 1907, a stone church for 500 people was built, and in 1910, a parish was opened. Usually, a wooden church was built first, and then, after accumulating funds or due to the dilapidation of the old one, a brick one was constructed. Botma became a village, but only for half a century. One of the reasons for the long absence of a church was that the settlement was not a landowner's estate, and the villagers could only rely on their own strength and resources.

The new church had one altar in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The church records noted the poverty of the utensils. However, in 1910, parishioners built wooden houses for clergy, church servants, watchmen, and prosphora bakers. The nearest church was located in the village of Arkhangelsk, 4.3 km away.

In 1897, a zemstvo school was opened in Botma, and in the neighboring Yerzovka in 1901, a church-parish school. This village joined the newly formed parish in 1914, where a chapel was located. Since 1908, the position of church elder was held by peasant Sergey Mityugin.

The only mention of the Nicholas church in official documents is contained in protocol No. 20 of the executive committee of the Cherdaklinsky district dated August 14, 1941. It states the closure of the church in the village of Botma, as it had been deteriorating over the past 5-6 years, and the former church council had partially left the village council's jurisdiction. The remaining council members refused to pay rent and requested that the church be transferred to the village council's disposal. At a citizens' meeting on August 5, 1941, a decision was made to close the church. The executive committee of the district council of workers' deputies approved this decision.

By analogy with the fate of the Mikhailo-Arkhangelsky church in the village of Arkhangelsk, it can be asserted that the Nicholas church was blown up before flooding in 1955, although it was only 47 years old and could have stood for several more centuries.