The Motherlode

Gold Rush country along highway 49 in northern California. All photos © Jim Shoemaker. All Rights Reserved. Any use without written permission of the photographer is prohibited. Click on thumbnail to see larger image on right. Click on larger image to see full size version. (More detail) Color, brightness and tonal quality will vary from monitor to monitor.

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Smartsville. In a town that had 16 saloons, this church built in 1871 is about all that's left. Originally named Smartsville, the post office declared that a town's name couldn't be plural and the name was changed to Smartville in the early 1900's. In 2008 the name was legally changed back to Smartsville.

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Smartsville. In a town that had 16 saloons, this church built in 1871 is about all that's left. Originally named Smartsville, the post office declared that a town's name couldn't be plural and the name was changed to Smartville in the early 1900's. In 2008 the name was legally changed back to Smartsville.

california highway 49 gold rush motherlode gold mine ghost town mining town old west history golden chain smartville church