History of Us i is a book that tells the history of the Nisenan tribe of the Nevada City Rancheria.
Author Richard Johnson says "History of Us is about our people, our family members and those os us who still live here in Nevada County Indian Territory, and not just about the Gold Rush of 1849. Nevada County with its many streams and rivers, grassy meadows and its abundant oak trees and wild life, has been home of the Nisenan Indian Tribe for many thousands of years. Thanks to our surviving ancestors this tribe is still here today."
During his research Johnson discovered that information about the Nisenan people was widely scattered, with sometimes only bits and pieces being recorded. Even the documented history was confusing because early anthropologists were tracking so many areas and tribes at one time that many had trouble keeping their information separated. Even those researchers who managed to produce outstanding work only covered a small segment of time. Often they contradicted one another.
In writing this book, Johnson chose to focus on the tribe into which he had been born- not the entire Nisenan territory, and definitely not about the Maidu, with whom his tribe has been mistakenly linked to in the past. History of Us contains information supported by multiple sources, including tribal elders. He has gathered hundreds of documents from national, state and municipal files, as well as a great many authentic newspaper stories that record activities from the past.