The article reviews interaction of municipal public administration and provincial authorities after the adoption of “Municipal regulations” in 1870 and 1892 through the example of the Upper Volga region of Russia (Vladimir, Kostroma, Tver, Yaroslavl provinces). Main models of this relationship are shown based on archival documents: control – cooperation – conflicts. It was determined that personal factor and contacts between leaders of municipal self-administration and governors played a big role in productivity of municipal institutions activity. Reinforcement of administrative control over the municipal institutions after 1892 did not change their structure and overwhelming majority of citizens was still excluded from participation in municipal affairs.