Penny Rafferty Hamilton has earned a Bessie Minor Swift Foundation grant to partner with the Grand County Historical Association on the creation of a new children’s history book called A to Z: Your Grand County History Alphabet. “Obviously, we are so excited to preserve our local heritage and promote literacy in our early readers with this new picture book,” said Dr. Hamilton. “We are looking for ideas from our community on historic people and places they would like to see included. For example, our Native American or Indian heritage could be under A for Arapahoe, I for Indians, N for Native American, or even U for Utes. Working with our educators, historians, librarians, and parents, we will select 26 to 36 archival photographs based around the A, B, Cs.”

Hamilton is the author of two Grand County history books, Granby Then & Now 1905-2005 and Around Granby. She is a member of the Colorado Authors League, Women Writing The West, and Grand Creatives. All profits from the new book will benefit Grand County historic preservation projects.

She can be contacted at drpenny.hamilton@gmail.com before May 15. The new book should be available before the Holiday season through the Grand County Historical Association museum gift shops.