There is some speculation about the origin of Elk Grove's name, whether it came from elk that roamed the area or from a city in Missouri, but James Hall, who settled there from Missouri in 1850, established the first hotel and stage stop and called it Elk Grove. The hotel served as the town's post office, restaurant, and ballroom, and the property included a blacksmith shop and livery stable. It stood on the east side of Stockton Boulevard, and today the Elk Grove Hotel and Stage Stop is at Elk Grove Park as the home of the Elk Grove Historical Society Museum. The discovery of gold brought major growth and development to Sacramento, Stockton, and Elk Grove, and by the time the railroad arrived in 1868, Elk Grove was booming. The railroad fostered a local tourism economy, bringing visitors to stay for dances and other entertainment and to lodge at the Elk Grove Hotel, while the train depot on what is now Old Town Plaza helped spur local economic growth. Just south of today's Old Town Plaza on Railroad Street stand two historic brick buildings: one at 9676 Railroad Street operated as a winery by Portuguese immigrants in 1888, processing several thousand tons of grapes each year before later operating as Gibson winery, and the building just to its south was built in 1903 and was operated by a local hops grower and partner in Elk Grove's general merchandise store. Although the railroad provided more comfortable long-distance travel, horses remained important for travel within town, postal service, and work on local ranches and farms. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Elk Grove's agriculture was predominantly fruit, including grapes, strawberries, plums, figs, oranges, olives, other berries, and pear and apple orchards, along with walnuts, pistachios, other nut orchards, and wheat, while its livestock industry consisted mostly of dairy cows, steers, horses, and sheep. Railway cars carried goods grown in Elk Grove to feed and support settlers throughout California.