The settlement began in the 18th century, due to the travels of the drovers to the region of gold mines in the nearby towns.

The first official document was written on April 25, 1870, when a group of residents made a donation of some parts of their lands to the Our Lady of Saint Anne Patrimony.

[4] According to a local myth, in 1859, Ana das Dores left Jaraguá towards Bonfim (Silvânia), on a mule train travel.

When, the mule was found, it was not willing to move, and das Dores interpreted this as the desire of the Saint to stay there.

The erection of the building was done by her son, Gomes de Souza Ramos, eleven years later.

[4][5][6] José da Silva Batista moved to the region on February 28, 1882, from Meia-Ponte (Pirenópolis).

Seeking greater autonomy, He and Sousa Ramos requested the incorporation of the town, which was granted on December 15, 1887.

The municipality is served by a branch of the Centro-Atlântica railroad, with 685 kilometres (426 mi) of network in Goiás, which allows for connections with the important ports of the country.

The proposed Expresso Pequi rail service between Brasília and Goiânia is planned to serve a station in Anápolis.

There is a large pool of educated professionals produced by the several institutions of higher learning in the city, e.g. the State University of Goiás.

The surrounding land is excellent for intensive production of fruit like oranges, bananas, and sugarcane.

The federal government decided to build a major logistical centre around the DAIA, which is a distribution point for goods throughout Brazil by road, rail and air.

It protects the nearby capital (Brasília) being as well an important portion of the Amazon Surveillance System (SIVAM).