"Business in Elk Grove"

"Business in Elk Grove" by Elizabeth Pinkerton, © Elk Grove Citizen Online, March 15, 2012. (Historical Article)

"... But everything changed in 1868 when the Western Division of the Central Pacific Railroad came through to connect Sacramento to Stockton. It does not appear that our early business folks cheered the coming of the railroad. They did not realize how their lives would change even though the railroad missed the little town/crossroads of Elk Grove. In addition to the hotel there was the Castello blacksmith shop, a Chinese washhouse, the Oltman Building, and the first Masonic Lodge building. But to the east in the middle of the Kerr Brothers’ ranches were those gleaming iron rails. The destiny of the town of Elk Grove [California] would be the closing of business doors—or a major move! And, the move is what happened. Central Pacific built a railroad depot on the north side of the tracks, and the Cox Brothers opened a store in the depot. That was all it took, and by 1869, even the post office had moved to the new location. ... " [More]

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