Book Signing with Author Jerry McHugh

Join us at Pioneer Town on Thursday, September 17th for a special Third Thursday History Talk with local historian and author Jerry McHugh, celebrating the publication of his new book, The Flow of Water: How Ordinary People Shaped the Colorado Frontier. Jerry has spent years researching and sharing the history of the Surface Creek Valley and previously served on the board of the Surface Creek Valley Historical Society.

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Jerry's interest in local history began with research into his own family and gradually grew into a much broader exploration of the people who settled and shaped this region. In The Flow of Water, he looks beyond the most familiar names and major historical event to focus on the ordinary people whose lives built the communities of Colorado's Western Slope. Farmers, ranchers, families, business owners, and the neighbors all become part of a larger story about settlement, survival, and community.

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At the center of that story is water. Access to water influenced where people settled, whether farms and ranches could survive, how communities developed, and ultimately how the Colorado frontier took shape. Jerry traces those connections using a wide range of historical sources that reveal the lives behind the historical record.

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During the program, Jerry will share stories uncovered through his research, discuss the role water played in shaping this region, and talk about the process of brining The Flow of Water together.

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Following the presentation, Jerry will be available for a book signing, and copies of his book will be available for purchase.