History of Dohňany
The first record of Dohňany, Mostište and Zbora dates from 1471 when they are written in the list of Lednica estate together with another 19 villages. The donation document in which king Matej Korvín donates the Lednica estate to Peter Hnedý and Felix Šťastný is in Budapest nowadays. But we can say that Dohňany as a part of Puchov's valley existed far before 15th century.
Explorer baron Emil Friedrich Johannes Hoening O Carroll born in Hildesherm, that lived in Púchov in 19th century where he is burried as well, interested in history of Puchov's valley from the 2nd century B.C. till the 3rd century A.D. He succeeded in finding some remarcable finds in our locality. Finds, made often by chance, are evidence of old stone age life - there were discovered the mammoth's bone, the stone hatchet and other stone tools.
Clear singns left Celts, that were said to be excellent craftsmen and peasants. The evidence of their settlement here are iron tools as knife, sickle, pincers or part of plough. Also there were found silver and gold BIATEC coins in the land of Puchov's valley.
The most important discovery for Dohňany is roman ceramic from the 1st century B.C. that was found in the locality of Dohňany rock. This place was explored in 1963 by Ernest Poliak - collegue of Považské museum in Žilina.
Before the Slavs definitely settled here during the Great Moravian empire, our land had been occupied by tribes of Kváds, Romans, Huns and Avars. In the begin of the 13th century Asian riders destroyed the Puchov's valley. Their existence can be proved by the grave of the Asian soldier that was found by baron Hoenig on the Gýmeš hill near Dohňany.
Because of "black death" in 15th century inhabitans in our region almost dissapeared. The king decided to invite shepards from Valachia - Rumunia nowadays, and Ukrain. Hard accent and specific surnames endings still remains in Mariková and Papradno laying near Dohňany. These shepards usually settled at the edge of colony - in the mountains and valleys. Some of their isolated settlements still exist. They cultivated crops and breeded cattle.
There was Turkish invasion in autumn 1599 in Slovakia and Dohňany as well. This warlike tribe took to slavery about 13 000 people from region Považie. This invasion continued in the 2nd half of the 17th century. Turkish soldiers abducted kidnaped wives of villagers. This perion gave us a lot of legends about some brave heroes that protected families and land against Turkish exploitation.
Slovak National Uprising in 1848 was very important in Slovak history. In this year the serfdom was abolished and the land became properties of serfs in Dohňany, Mostište, Zbora as in another municipalities in Slovakia.
After the first world war started, all healthy men were called up to fight on Russian, Serbian, Italian and French fronts. 23 men from Zbora an 22 from Dohňany have never came back to their homes.
Post war period and economic crises made a lot of citizens to leave Dohňany. They travelled to America, hoping to find work, to earn money and to come back, but most of them have never returned because of depts they had. It was about 20 famillies from Mostište, Zbora an Dohňany altogether.
Shortly after World war I municipality Dohňany had it's own post office, started to build railway line Púchov-Horní Lideč, which was finished in 1937. Two years after the first train successfully past the rail way, Dohňany run the elektrification.
Through the World war II, when the jews were persueded, many of them decided to leave Slovakia and to find better life in America. Most of them converted to catholic or lutheran religion and changed their surnames too. There were about 44 jews rechristened in Dohňany. Dohňany, Mostište and Zbora were liberated on the 1st May 1945 by Rumunian soldiers.
History of education in our municipality is known from the begining of the 19th century, when the education was signed by big Hungarian influence. From the most admirable persons that caused progress in school education we could mention Anton Bielek - the teacher and writer, Jozef Bielek - the founder of Association of Slovak Church Literature School in Budapest, Ferko Urbánek - the teacher and dramatist, Jozef Gregor Tajovský - teacher, writer, better attendance to school was gained thakns to writer and fine-artist František Volf.