The town of Smartsville has regained its historic name, winning a battle with the government to restore the “s” that was dropped from some official signs a century ago, according to residents.

In June, The Union reported that residents had resurrected an effort to restore the single letter to its name.

“An epic struggle for the town’s identity, reputation and dignity culminated in victory when the U.S. Board of Geographic Names unanimously voted to restore the ‘s” to Smartsville,” said Kit Burton, an 11-year resident who has helped spearhead the fight to regain the town’s historic name, on Thursday.

The board quietly voted to change the name last Thursday and didn’t even notify the town until residents decided to inquire on their own.

First known as Smartsville in 1856, the Yuba County town — located on Highway 20 about halfway between Grass Valley and Yuba City — once was a busy gold mining center. In 1907, the U.S. government arbitrarily dropped the “s” from the Post Office, making it read “Smartville.”

Except for the Post Office and a store, residents continued to call the town Smartsville, however. Some government agencies got it right: The Calfire sign reads Smartsville.

Burton estimated it would be months before signs such as the wooden letters at the Post Office and a highway sign are changed. Some maps, such as ones from the U.S. Geological Service, are expected to take years to change, because they are not updated often, he added.

The last effort to change the town’s name was 1947, but the U.S. Board on Geographic Names voted against the town’s wishes.

This time the effort was led by Burton, a nonprofit group working to restore the historic, former Catholic Church and Kathleen Smith and Lane Parker’s new book “Smartsville and Timbuctoo,” among others.

As Burton put it: “The rest is history, and history now becomes history.”

To contact Editor Jeff Pelline, e-mail jpelline@theunion.com or call 477-4235.