Bolotnoye began with the establishment of a way station along the Siberian Route at the town's present location, in 1805. By 1896, when the Trans-Siberian Railway had reached the same location, the area was known as Bolotnovskaya. A railway station with buffet service was established there and development of an accompanying settlement began in earnest. The name was later shortened to Bolotnoye. Bolotnoye was officially granted town status only in 1943.