Prior to the construction of the extensive Elm Park Garden City development in the 1930s it was a scattered settlement of farms in the south of the parish of Hornchurch. Elm Park has been connected to central London by the District line service since 1935 and the planned development of the area formed part of the interwar private housing boom that was interrupted by World War II.

The place name Elm Park was devised in 1933 and was derived from Elm Farm, which is first recorded in 1777 and was known as Elms in 1883.

Elm Park station was opened on 13 May 1935 by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway on the local electrified tracks between Upminster and Barking that were constructed in 1932.

After the war Elm Park expanded with social housing and it has formed part of Greater London since 1965.