The settlement was founded in the mid-1930s to exploit the local basalt deposits. During the Second World War, the settlement was used as a refuge by Polish people from the neighbouring villages who were under threat of attack from the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, and a detachment of German soldiers was also stationed here to protect the mine workers. Despite the presence of the Germans, on the night of 22/23.04.1943, when Easter fell, the Ukrainians attacked the Poles in Janowa Dolina. The Germans did not react to the attack, as a result of which about 600 people were killed.

The following day, most of the murdered were buried in a common grave in the square next to the cross, where, according to pre-war plans, a church was to be built. The dead were also buried in those places where corpses were found; crosses were erected on the graves. The largest of these crosses survived until 1996, but by then it was already in very poor condition.

The settlement was abandoned and no longer exists. In the early 1990s, a small memorial was erected to commemorate the events of the Second World War. The inscription on it reads: "To the memory of those resting in this land since the spring of 1943". In 1997-1998, a second monument was erected next to it, commemorating the same event; it was created on the initiative of the soldiers of the 27th Volhynian Infantry Division of the Home Army. Unfortunately, the contractor of the inscription on the monument arbitrarily omitted the date of death of the Poles. The inscription reads: 'To the memory of the Poles of Janowa Dolina'.