It is the only part of the historic (i.e., pre-amalgamation) city of Winnipeg located east of the Red River.

It includes the areas of Glenelm, which is more affluent and lies west of Henderson Highway, most of Chalmers, Talbot-Grey, and East Elmwood, which was developed primarily in the 1950s.

Elmwood was once the southern part of the Municipality of Kildonan and began to develop shortly after the Louise Bridge was opened in 1881.

It was annexed to Winnipeg in 1906 after a petition by the residents who wanted city services in their rapidly developing neighbourhood.

Until the 1950s, Elmwood was one of the most industrialized areas of Winnipeg and had a large meat packing plant, a furniture manufacturer, and a box factory, among other operations.