Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of the questions we've been asked about the book and the towns of Smartsville and Timbuctoo. If you have questions you'd like answered, please feel free to contact us.
Q. How many pictures are in the Smartsville and Timbuctoo book?
A. Including maps and illustrations, the book contains 197 images.
Q. How long did it take to write the book?
A. We spent roughly 8 months researching and writing the book.
Q. How did you come up with the idea for the book?
A. After considering the idea for a while, Lane finally called up an editor at Arcadia Publishing and proposed a book on Timbuctoo. During the conversation, the focus widened to include Smartsville and possibly other places in the region. Lane called Kathy-- they had not yet met in person, only corresponded by email and spoken on the phone once or twice-- and asked her if she wanted to collaborate on an Arcadia Publishing book. Fortunately, she said yes. And the rest, they say, is history.
Q. How many people lived in the Smartsville and Timbuctoo area in its heyday?
A. Estimates, probably based on voter records, have ranged from 800 to 2,000 people. At the height of mining operations, it's possible that 2,000 people lived in the region encompassing Smartsville and Timbuctoo.
Q. How many people live there now?
A. Today, the Smartsville and Timbuctoo area is home to about 300 people.
Q. Is it Smartville or Smartsville?
A. Originally the name was Smartsville. In 1907 the name was changed (erroneously) to Smartville. In late August 2008, thanks to the efforts of Kathy, local residents, and the Yuba County Board of Supervisors, the town's name officially reverted to Smartsville again. Over the next months and years, maps and other official documents (including the Weather Channel and weather.com) will reflect the change.
Q. How did Timbuctoo get its name?
A. There are a few different stories about how Timbuctoo got its name. According to the most popular version, the first white gold miners in the area arrived to find an African already at work in a ravine "with pick and pan," so they named the spot Timbuctoo, after the legendary African city. |
