Piceance-born author to speak on area’s history

RIFLE I Rifle Creek Museum is hosting another “Remembering Rifle” day with Gracie Petrakian as special guest on July 6 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Petrakian is author of “Land of Tall Grass.” The book’s name is the translation of the Ute word Piceance. It’s a place where the grass grows so high that one homesteader is described as having had to “call out” to locate a fellow horseback rider who was obscured in the tall grass.
Petrakian lives in New Jersey, where she raised her family, but she grew up in the Piceance Creek area. Her father, Kay Hughes, was a homesteader up Yellow Creek in the 1920s and her brother, Torrance, now owns the homestead and lives in Meeker.
Petrakian’s fondness for Piceance Creek is evident in her book, and she said, “It certainly has a special place in my heart.”
The book pays tribute to the hardy pioneers of Piceance Creek. It reveals the struggles and strengths of those early pioneers, including numerous photos.
Guests are invited to visit with Petrakian in a question and answer forum, have her sign your book (available at the museum), and enjoy a quality experience of the “good ole days and times” as you tour the museum.