We are thrilled to welcome Jeremia Peterson, renowned archaeologist and researcher, for an exclusive interview about his book “Reytac: A History”, a captivating work that combines personal narrative, archaeological research, and excavations in the Palm Springs desert
Toombow Kids: Welcome, Jeremia! Our readers are excited to meet you. Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Jeremia Peterson: Well… my name is Jeremia Peterson, I’m 73 years old. I was born into a loving family in Austin, Texas, with my two brothers, JT and Andrew, whom we call Andy. Since my adolescence, I’ve been passionate about history and mystery, about places where time seems to stand still, where legend and reality intertwine.
Toombow Kids: Why did you choose to publish your book with Ewing Publication?
Jeremia Peterson: You know, I’ve always been passionate, sometimes seen as obsessive. Reytac, this mysterious city, captured my mind from the start. When Mason Ewing contacted me to share his vision of Reytac, I knew Ewing Publication would be a house ready to defend and share my work. Many see Reytac as an urban legend… but I wanted to dig deeper, understand, and give meaning to these stories.
Toombow Kids: Reytac does seem surrounded by mystery, with few historical traces. What fascinates you most about this city?
Jeremia Peterson: As a young man, I was shy and reserved, always immersed in books and magazines about the paranormal. That’s where I developed an insatiable curiosity. Excavating, exploring, seeking hidden truths… that’s how Reytac and its train station “adopted” me. The city sought someone to understand it, protect it, and reveal its story to the world.
Toombow Kids: Fascinating. You speak of “adoption” metaphorically?
Jeremia Peterson: Exactly. For fifty years, I’ve felt that Reytac didn’t choose me by chance. The city was looking for a guardian, someone to defend its past and help it rise from its ashes. It’s a deeply personal and philosophical experience, almost like conversing with an ancient spirit.
Toombow Kids: Abraham Reytac, the city’s founder, also seems shrouded in mystery. What can you tell us about him?
Jeremia Peterson: Abraham Reytac was charismatic and ambitious, traveling across the U.S. in search of wealth and partners to realize his dream: building a prosperous city in the Palm Springs desert. He was persuasive and acquired lands—likely at the expense of the Cahuilla people. Even though official records are missing, the facts speak for themselves: the city was founded on secrets, injustices, and broken hopes.
Toombow Kids: And the Reytac train station, it also seems steeped in tragedy…
Jeremia Peterson: Yes. Behind the city’s apparent splendor was a curse. Abraham Reytac and his successor, Lubert Taylor, allowed the construction of homes and a train station on an old Cahuilla cemetery. Many lives were overlooked, and the residents paid the price. My book explores these tensions and shadows.
Toombow Kids: What can you tell us about the missing children, such as Gwendolyn Porter?
Jeremia Peterson: Gwendolyn Porter was 10 years old. A life full of innocence and promise, tragically cut short. Her death, along with ten other children, left an indelible mark on Reytac. My goal in recounting these stories is to illuminate these mysteries, give a voice to forgotten lives, and challenge what we think we know about this city.
Toombow Kids: It’s both frightening and fascinating. What advice would you give our young readers?
Jeremia Peterson: Open your minds to the world. Don’t fear the mysteries of the past. Archaeologists need history, secrets, enigmas to explore. Reytac reminds us that some truths remain buried, but we must dare to dig, question, and learn. Every stone, every trace, every story brings us closer to understanding what once was… and what might still surprise us.
Discover “Reytac: A History”, a thrilling journey into a cursed city, a mystery to explore, and the unique testimony of a philosopher-archaeologist who devoted his life to revealing the unseen.
