It was founded in 1785 as fortification of the Dniprovs'ka line and named by first settlers from village Hulyaypole (nowadays Zlatopil' of the Kirovohrads'ka oblast'). Eventually the settlement turns to the big shopping city. It has become famous in the world as the centre of the most powerful revolutionary movement in ХX century under N.I.Mahno's leadership (1918-1921). Here he created many thousands insurgent army which successfully operated against red and white interventionists, protecting idealized peasant representations about an opportunity of a happy life beyond the scope of any state-political control.
In the 1936 Hulyaypole has received the city status.