Elverfelde was first mentioned in documents in 1161 as Cologne Tafelhof. It was probably a fortified farm, which served primarily as a supply and overnight station for travelling clergymen, nobles and troops.
The valley of the river Wupper is one of the oldest industrially shaped metropolitan areas. The first bleaching factories had already established themselves around 1400. In 1527, the two towns on the Wupper received a monopoly on the processing and refining of linen yarn. On this basis, the first important textile manufacturers were established around 1750. In the 19th century, the valley of the Wupper rose to an important industrial region. A symbol of this economic power is the suspension monorail, opened in 1901, a masterpiece of engineering and still a landmark of the town today.