Elmore is located in what used to be known as the Black Swamp, a sprawling area of marsh that covered the majority of northwest Ohio, and was primarily inhabited by Native Americans until the 19th century.

German settlers during the first half of the 1800s began the long process of draining the land and clear cutting the dense forest exposing the nutrient rich soil, which, along with a once thriving railroad, provided the foundation for the village’s early growth and development.

Present-day Elmore is a small community with a business district that has struggled to achieve success in recent years.

However, the increasing ease of modern travel and the construction of a Turnpike interchange in 1997 have created new opportunities for the village.

Many locals commute to Toledo or other near-by cities and towns for work while the village promotes itself as a place for others to play.

In recent years, the presence of several new stores has brought some success to the downtown area as a destination and village leaders have attempted to cultivate that image with various measures such as old-fashioned street posts and a refurbished train depot.

In recent years, the annual Portage River Festival, various other local events, and a fairly well known headless motorcycle-riding ghost are what tend to bring people into the area.

[5] According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 0.81 square miles (2.10 km2), all land.

Elmore is home to Schedel Arboretum and Gardens, the former Victorian estate of a local (limestone) quarry magnate and is now a botanical preserve.

The Portage River, which passes alongside the village,[9] plays an important recreational role in the community.