Created as a village separate from Adelaide known as "Mitcham Village", it was ancillary to a sheep station at Brown Hill Creek belonging to the South Australia Company.

Prior to British colonisation, the area was inhabited by the Kaurna, an Aboriginal people.

[2] The reserve area occupies what was used as the village green.

[3] In August 1909, the Church of England's Orphan Home for Girls, established by Julia Farr and Mrs W. S. Douglas[4] in Carrington Street in Adelaide city centre in 1860,[5] moved to Fullarton Road, Upper Mitcham.

[citation needed] Mitcham is located in the federal electorate of Boothby and the state electorate of Waite, which have been considered safe Liberal seats.