In 1850, Elk Grove was established as a hotel stop and a stop for the stage. It is located about 15 miles south of historic Sutter’s Fort and thus became a crossroads for business, entertainment, mail service and agriculture, and acted as home base for gold miners in nearby communities. After it played its part in the early gold rush and statehood history in California, a close-knit community evolved with a distinctly rural and western lifestyle.
Despite its close proximity to California’s capital city, Elk Grove remained quietly independent of Sacramento’s growth and development as it expanded into adjoining countrywide areas until the 1980s. Today, Elk Grove had its start in agriculture and it is still a big part of the area’s economy today, with vineyards, dairy and cattle and row crops; but, now, there is also high technology, professional service, and commercial and retail enterprises
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