The valley, which begins in the Rio da Prata and ends in Cabuçu, was inhabited by Picinguabas and granted by the Portuguese Crown to Barcelos Domingos.

In 1915, the company proposed to the Prefecture of the Federal District the substitution of animal power with 48 km of electrified lines, whose trams would leave from the center of Campo Grande for Pedra de Guaratiba, Ilha, and Rio da Prata.

Next to Realengo, Jacarepaguá, and Santa Cruz, until 1939 Campo Grande was one of the largest producers of oranges, exporting up to 144,577 tons each year.

Owing to the large network of services and a growing level of commerce, Campo Grande grew at an extraordinary pace.

In terms of education, Campo Grande has one of the largest concentrations of students in the Rio de Janeiro (state).

In 1946, Bartolomeu Rabelo founded an aviary that was the birthplace of carioca bird farming, which today has attained a high level of development.

Some of the companies found in Campo Grande include AmBev, Refrigerantes Convenção, Guaracamp, Cogumelo (metallurgy), Fredvic (heating), Novartis (pharmaceuticals), Sacipan (café Câmara), Michelin, EBSE (electrical fuses), Superpesa (metallurgy), Dancor (munitions) and Ranbaxy (pharmaceuticals).