As the population of Elk Grove has grown, so have its retail and service businesses. This has allowed Elk Grove to beautifully blend that small-town feeling with all the amenities of an urban area. With the explosion of growth, a conscious effort has been made to maintain the community's character.

The Elk Grove west (known locally as Laguna) area, which is the newest part of Elk Grove, has added a major new dimension to the community. Residential growth in the adjoining communities of Franklin, Wilton, Sheldon, Vintage Park, Churchill Downs, Sloughhouse and Rancho Murieta, have made Elk Grove an increasingly important business center.

While the future looks bright, residents are also proud of the city's past. The Elk Grove Historical Society is an active force in the community. The organization offers living history demonstrations of life in the 19th century at the Rhodes School, which was originally built in 1872. "We are working on opening the Elk Grove Hotel and Stage Stop Museum, which will feature relics from Elk Grove's past," says Elliot Mulberg, a member of the historical society.

Today, Elk Grove is poised for success, as population, retail and business growth seem assured. Yet its residents are equipped with the desire to maintain the family-oriented, rural atmosphere that attracted James Hall to the area more than 150 years ago.