Rural Roots Sunday - The Peters Family Story

…The Rural Area is valued in our community for its aesthetic and cultural significance, as well as the economic and educational opportunities that agriculture provides. Our commitment to maintaining the Rural Area is clear and codified in core planning documents…” Elk Grove General Plan, December 2023

The year was 1970 when my parents, Paul and Shirley Peters, purchased the first two-acre lot in the Sheldon Road Estates subdivision on Bamarcia Drive. At that time, no other streets had been developed. There were no trees, no bushes, no birds, just wide-open land stretching for miles. The town of Elk Grove was only a five-minute drive away, thanks to the absence of traffic lights and with only two stop signs along the way.

On April Fool’s Day in 1971, a date my mom chose on purpose, we moved into our custom-built home. My dad partially built the house alongside our contractor, “Grandpa” Schuh. During construction, my brother Nick and I, both in elementary school, learned hands-on skills: pounding nails, cutting wood, using a screwdriver, and measuring materials to build our own creations. When we finally moved in, I proudly told everyone that I had helped build our home by hammering nails into the subfloor!

Growing up “in the country”, as we called it, was a gift. Our lives were filled with animals—horses, chickens, rabbits, dogs, cats, and sheep. Over time, my dad became well-known for raising Suffolk sheep, developing such a strong reputation that he had a waiting list each year for his lambs. Today, I carry on that legacy with a small herd of my own, continuing what my parents began.

In 1984, life in rural Elk Grove changed dramatically. Sacramento County proposed building a connector expressway from Elk Grove to Folsom—right through our home! This threat sparked a grassroots movement that eventually became the Greater Sheldon Road Estates Homeowners Association (GSREHA). I am proud to share that my mother, Shirley Peters, founded the organization and served as its president until her passing in 2023.

Our rural upbringing for myself and my brother, shaped who we are today. Through building our home, we learned practical math skills. Through caring for animals, we learned life science. Through daily chores on what we called “the ranch” we learned responsibility. With few neighbors and even fewer children nearby, we learned independence, creativity, and resilience. These experiences helped shape us into the capable and successful adults we are today.

I urge the City of Elk Grove to honor and preserve its rural boundaries. The rural lifestyle offers something invaluable, connection to land, responsibility, and personal growth. New generations continue to benefit from this way of life through programs like 4-H, agricultural exploration, and the development of self-worth rooted in hard work and independence.

Please protect this legacy. Preserve these spaces not only for those who came before us, but for those still to come.

Submitted by: Alexis Peters