[3] Elsmere dates back to 1886 when real estate developer Joshua Heald bought farmland and converted it into houses, building the first suburb in northern Delaware.

[4] During the 1910s, the Delaware State Fair Association purchased land and built a new fairgrounds within Elsmere's town limit.

The grounds, including a racecourse for horses, cars and motorcycles, were located south of New Road and Wilmington Avenue and west of the previously established streets.

This land became the site of the Delaware State Fair from 1917 to 1928, and provided a large parking area and ready access from the nearby trolley line.

Agricultural exhibits provided the backbone of the fair, but in addition to the races, the summer attraction also included horse and dog shows, vaudeville acts, music, and fireworks.

After 1928, the State Fair had moved to Harrington, but the grandstand and the races remained until 1943, when the property was converted to land for residential housing.

Elsmere is 1.5 miles away from Wilmington The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.

The main east–west road in Elsmere is Delaware Route 2 (Kirkwood Highway), which heads east to Wilmington and west to Newark.

Delaware Route 141 passes to the west of Elsmere, with access to the town via an interchange with DE 2 in Prices Corner.

[19] DART First State provides bus service to Elsmere along Route 6, which follows Kirkwood Highway and heads east to Wilmington station, which is served by Amtrak and SEPTA Regional Rail's Wilmington/Newark Line, and west to the Newark Transit Hub.

CSX Transportation operates the Wilsmere Yard to the south of Elsmere near the former Wilmington Assembly plant used by General Motors.