Author Ellen Osborn (great-granddaughter of John Calhoun “Cock-eye” Johnson) will share her book “A Lovely & Comfortable Heritage Lost” at the South Lake Tahoe Library on Jan. 9.

She will provide a unique history of El Dorado County, beginning with the early days of the Gold Rush and the first conflicts with the Native American tribes of the region. Her book also traces the evolution of California’s Highway 50 from its beginning as the Native American trade trail that became a popular Gold Rush route and explains why it has come to be called one of the most storied and romantic roads in American history.

Most importantly, Osborn shares the story of the her great-grandfather and the world he lived in as emigrants poured into California, seeking promises of riches and following their own dreams of a new life.

The free talk at 1pm is presented in partnership between the Friends of the Library and Lake Tahoe Historical Society. Book sale and signing to follow. South Lake Tahoe Library is at 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd.