"This week marks the 100-year anniversary of the discovery of Ishi, the last "wild" North American Indian.

In 1970, I was in the fifth-grade and we studied California Indians. Our teacher read us the story of Ishi, the last Yahi Indian, discovered in Oroville in 1911. I was fascinated by his story and I can remember even making arrows in class as a school project.

Forty years later, in 2005, my father, wife and I attended the annual Ishi gathering in Oroville, sponsored by the Butte County Historical Society. We met and listened to researcher/author Richard Burrill as he spoke about Ishi and his discovery near a slaughterhouse in Oroville on Aug. 28, 1911.

After attending the seminar, I read Burrill's book, "Ishi Rediscovered," and learned many things about Ishi, his tribe and what became of him.

The book reads like a fictional novel, but is based on true-life accounts and stories from families and others who lived in Tehama County during that time. Sightings of Indians living in Deer Creek Canyon were documented as far back as the 1870s, possibly when Ishi was a small boy."

Get the Story:
Fermin Rubio: Remembering Ishi, last of the Yahis (The Vacaville Reporter 8/28)

Also Today:
The last of a tribe: 100 years ago today, the Ishi legend was born (The Chico Enterprise-Record 8/28)
Speeches, receptions mark 100th anniversary of the discovery of Ishi (The Chico Enterprise-Record 8/29)
California Museum opening exhibit on 100th anniversary of day Ishi was found (The Sacramento Bee 8/29)