Naturwood family members, employees and community leaders gather in front of the newly rebuilt waterwheel Aug. 14, six months after the Rancho Cordova landmark was destroyed in a suspected DUI crash.

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - Six months after a suspected DUI crash reduced one of Rancho Cordova’s most recognizable roadside landmarks to wreckage, Naturwood Home Furnishings’ redwood waterwheel was turning again Aug. 14 as family members, employees and community leaders gathered to celebrate its return.

The rebuilt wheel was unveiled during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Naturwood’s Folsom Boulevard showroom, exactly six months after a vehicle left eastbound Highway 50 on Valentine’s Day, crashed through fencing and destroyed the original structure.

For Naturwood President Lisa Keyes, rebuilding was never really in question.

“The customers were reaching out right away after it got destroyed, and they wanted it rebuilt,” Keyes said. “They missed it and it looked so empty without it. So, we rebuilt it. We wanted it back, too.”

Rancho Cordova Vice Mayor Linda Budge (left) presented Naturwood with a city resolution honoring the restoration.

The original waterwheel was built in 1985 and became closely tied to the family-owned furniture company’s identity. It stood along the Highway 50 corridor for decades, eventually becoming part of Naturwood’s logo and, for many local drivers, a familiar signal that they were nearing home.

Keyes said she saw that connection immediately after the crash, including comments from people on social media who described using the wheel as a landmark.

“‘Oh, I’m almost home, ’cause I see the water wheel,’” Keyes recalled people saying. “Maybe future generations will recognize it too, and it will be a special landmark for them also. That makes me happy.”

Naturwood began in Sacramento in 1948 and has remained a family-owned and operated business. Keyes told the crowd that her mother, Virginia Keyes, remains active in the company and still inspects furniture before it leaves the shipping dock. Fourth- and fifth-generation family members are also involved with the business.

The rebuilt wheel was unveiled during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Naturwood’s Folsom Boulevard showroom.

The Feb. 14 crash left more than just the wheel damaged. Keyes described arriving early that morning to find oil, gasoline, fence pieces and vehicle debris scattered across the property. Friends, family members and employees joined the cleanup and began discussing how to rebuild.

Clifton Dutton, Keyes’ son-in-law, helped lead the reconstruction through Sierra Nevada Quality Construction and Remodeling with his partner, C.J. Sizemore. The team used the original plans and retained pieces of the destroyed wheel as templates.

“I built it at my house, and I cut all these pieces by hand,” Dutton said. “Some sleepless nights went into it as well. But a lot of hard work, a lot of cooperation, and it definitely feels good to look at it now.”

Dutton said the landmark had personal meaning for him long before he became part of the Naturwood family.

“As a kid, I drove by this and was like, ‘Oh, I’m almost home,’” he said.

Keyes also recognized Cameron of Liberty Roofing Contractors, who worked on the waterwheel and passed away the day after completing his portion of the project. She offered condolences to his family and friends and said the company wanted to recognize his contribution.

A guest looks over the original 1985 plans for Naturwood Home Furnishings’ waterwheel, which were used as a guide to rebuild the landmark after it was destroyed in a February crash.

Rancho Cordova Vice Mayor Linda Budge presented Naturwood with a city resolution honoring the restoration. Budge called the store an important part of the community and praised the return of a landmark familiar to generations of Highway 50 travelers.

“We could not get along here in Rancho Cordova without Naturwood,” Budge said, noting the company’s community involvement and economic presence. She congratulated the family on “the restoration of this iconic waterwheel.”

Michelle Benjamin, Naturwood’s advertising director, said seeing the wheel moving again also reinforced the company’s sense of continuity.

“I’m so excited to see the wheel turn again,” Benjamin said. “It’s part of our logo. It makes the connection.”

Benjamin, who has worked at Naturwood for more than 30 years, said the restoration represents more than rebuilding a damaged structure.

“I think it’s the legacy,” she said. “It’s carrying on … for generations to come.”

Keyes said Naturwood also plans to install a plaque honoring her parents and their commitment to the family business.

For a company that has operated for 78 years, the new wheel is both a reconstruction of something lost and a visible link between generations.