In 2017, in honor of the City Day of Stavropol, celebrated on September 21, a monument to the Khoper Cossacks was ceremoniously opened in Frunze Square. These Cossacks are considered the founders of the fortress built here in the second half of the 18th century.

The bronze composition depicts three Cossack settlers: one holds an icon of the Kazan Mother of God, the second a flag, and the third sits on a horse. The monument symbolizes three aspects of Cossack life: Orthodoxy, statehood, and military valor. The project was created by sculptor Sergey Oleshnya from Rostov-on-Don, an academician of the Russian Academy of Arts.

After the signing of the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca between the Russian Empire and Turkey in 1774, a border was established from the mouth of the Terek River to the fortress of St. Dmitry, at the site of modern Rostov-on-Don and Azov. On this southern frontier, stretching five hundred versts, a chain of reliable outposts was needed to protect New Russia.

At the request of General-in-Chief Prince Grigory Potemkin, Empress Catherine II issued a decree on April 24, 1777, to create the Azov-Mozdok defensive line.

To accomplish this task, Volga and Don Cossacks were relocated here, protected by a specially formed Astrakhan Corps. This included regular troops, the Kabardin Infantry and Vladimir Dragoon Regiments, as well as two Jaeger battalions and separate Cossack units. The corps was commanded by Astrakhan Governor Major General Yakobi, who was also responsible for the construction of the defensive line.

In early October 1777, the Khoper Cossacks, along with the Vladimir Dragoon Regiment, arrived at the 'Black Forest in the Tashla and Kalaus area.' On October 22, 1777, by order of Yakobi, they laid the foundation for fortress number 8, initially named Moscow. A month later, it was assigned number 7 and became known as Stavropol.

By the following year, construction was completed. The fortress was a pentagon of high earthen ramparts and deep ditches, reinforced with artillery. Its length was 1698 meters, and its area was 10 hectares.

The fortress underwent its first combat test in 1779 when it was attacked by armed mountaineers numbering one and a half thousand. The Russian artillery successfully repelled the attack, and the fortress remained unharmed.

In the early 19th century, the earthen fortifications were replaced with stone defensive barracks. By that time, the Stavropol Cossack stanitsa of the Khoper Cossack Regiment had already emerged on the eastern side of the fortress, where its headquarters was located. Over time, the stanitsa grew into the city of Stavropol.