In the past, this central part of Elgin housed various businesses such as stores, small shops, hotels, factories, as well as a race track.

[6] Before European settlement in New Brunswick, the Elgin area had originally been traversed by the Mi'kmaq, who, from spring to fall, hunted and gathered in the region for possibly thousands of years.

[9][10] Geldart recognized the farming potential of the level meadows and fertile land, which led him to choose this location for settlement, upon his arrival after travelling upriver.

[11] Prior to Geldart's arrival, several farms were already being cleared and cultivated along the Pollet River, extending up to the village of Forest Glen.

[7] Many of Elgin's early settlers arrived from other parts of the province, with a significant amount coming from the Alma area.

[10] The area from Forest Glen to Elgin was originally lined with large pine trees on both banks of the river, which early settlers utilized by hollowing out their trunks to create canoes for transporting provisions.

[7] During the initial years of settlement, the pioneers were preoccupied with building homes, gathering fuel for harsh winters, clearing land for agriculture, and obtaining food from the forests and streams.

[12] Elgin's earliest settlers, joined by individuals from other parts of the county, initiated the region's maple sugar industry.

The hills surrounding the valley, which was being settled and farmed, were covered with large maple trees, which settlers used to produce sugar and ship it down the river in pine canoes.

[7][11][13] James and Peter Geldart, the sons of John, the first settler, later cleared farms and settled along the road between Elgin and Goshen.

However, much like the other settlements in the area of Gowland Mountain, Forest Glen, and Mapleton, New Ireland is now empty, and Elgin no longer serves as the shopping and service hub for these regions.

Initially, the plan was for Alma Parish to be the railway's destination, with the last stop being at the Bay of Fundy, but the challenging terrain made it impractical.

[20] To finance the project, $10,000 was invested by the Elgin Petitcodiac Railway Company for rolling stock, while a subsidy of $48,000 was offered by the government.

[14] Completed in 1876, the railway, nicknamed 'The Prong',[10] was considered to have the highest number of curves per mile compared to any other existing rail lines.

On September 14, 1876, The Chignecto Post predicted that the railway would invigorate and increase the value to Elgin's agricultural products, as well as bring progress to the village's real estate.

In such situations, it has been said that the crew would resort to taking wood from farmers' fences, woodpiles, or trees to ensure the train reached the next station.

Elgin flourished into a thriving community, witnessing the establishment of new industries such as spool, butter tubs, and cheese manufacturing.

Elgin exported various products, including manganese, Christmas trees, beef, potatoes, apples and ships' timber.

However, the railway eventually started encountering problems, including disruptions due to maintenance issues such as burst pipes, snow blockages, and derailments, although no major accidents occurred.

Public complaints started to arise, expressing disappointment with the company's decision to lease the railway to Hallett for a period of 99 years, leading some to believe that it had been given away.

[20] Before the advent of factory creameries, farmers took the task of producing their own butter and occasionally cheese to meet the needs of their households.

Eventually, the butter production operations were relocated to a creamery housed in a barn owned by T. A. Goggin, with Nelson Tait serving as the buttermaker.

[27] Furthermore, in early 1930, a scarlet fever outbreak in the Elgin school resulted in multiple homes being placed under quarantine.

[29] Consequently, classes were held in various locations, including a residence,[24] the second floor of a store, as well as the First Elgin Baptist Church basement,[29] until a new and much larger school was built in 1947 and later opened in February 1948.

To accommodate the increasing number of students arriving by bus following the closure of smaller schools in more remote areas, two more classrooms were added in 1951.

The proposal cited CA$193,200 worth of urgent repairs needed for the building, which superintendent Jim Stevenson argued they were unable to afford.

[36][39] On April 2, 2002, a unanimous vote by the education council resulted in Elgin Elementary School's closure to be recommended.

[44] In July 2003, a group of locals emerged with their interest in turning the old school building into an eco-centre, considering the possibility of incorporating amenities such as a hostel, restaurant, environmental displays, museum, or a gift shop.

Further discussion about converting the school took place shortly after the Elgin Eco Association, a non-profit environmental organization, was established in June 2004.

In the past, Elgin held annual blueberry festivals where hundreds would attend to eat breakfast and watch the large parade that would cross through the village streets.