SKU: 14140492863

Chronicles of the Big Bend: A Photographic Memoir of Life on the Border

Sale price$27.50 Regular price$30.56
Save 10%

Pay in installments of $7.64 with ShopPay, AfterPay and Klarna

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Aug 6 - Aug 11

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

Chronicles of the Big Bend: A Photographic Memoir of Life on the BorderAs a young teamster on a pack mule train, Wilfred Dudley Smithers saw the Rio Grande's Big Bend for the first time in 1916, and it captured his imagination forever. For decades thereafter he returned to Texas' last great frontier the great bend of the Rio Grande on the Texas Mexico border chronicling the region and its people in words and photographs. After half a century of photography, Smithers' superlative collection of nine thousand images ended

As a young teamster on a pack-mule train, Wilfred Dudley Smithers saw the Rio Grande's Big Bend for the first time in 1916, and it captured his imagination forever. For decades thereafter he returned to Texas' last great frontier-the great bend of the Rio Grande on the Texas-Mexico border-chronicling the region and its people in words and photographs. After half a century of photography, Smithers' superlative collection of nine thousand images ended up at the University of Texas at Austin, and in 1976 more than one hundred of these were reproduced in Chronicles of the Big Bend, a critically acclaimed work that until now has long been out of print. The years that Smithers chronicled in the Big Bend were sometimes violent ones. Pancho Villa and Chico Cano were among the many "bandits" playing hide-and-seek with the U.S. Cavalry-events Smithers recorded. He was also an eyewitness to liquor-running and smuggling during Prohibition. His principal subjects, however, were the people of the Big Bend: local ranchers, Mexican American and American families, miners, Texas Rangers, and others living simple lives in this harsh and beautiful land. With words and camera Smithers wanted to capture "vanishing lifestyles, primitive cultures, old faces, and odd, unconventional professions. Before my camera I wanted huts, vendors, natural majesties, clothing, tools, children, old people, the ways of the border." He also told his own life story along with that of the Big Bend. There are illustrated chapters on the military, law enforcement, curanderos (healers), liquor smugglers, avisadores (secret-message senders), and the national park. Smithers' word sketches and black-and- white photographs capture the harsh reality and stark beauty, the dust and the mystery of the frontier era of the Big Bend that ended in 1944 when it became a national park. Chronicles of the Big Bend is a rare documentary look at a frontier region as it was known by only a few and as it will never be seen again. It is a deeply personal human portrait of the majestic Big Bend. WILFRED DUDLEY SMITHERS (1895-1981) was born in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, in 1895. He began taking photographs at age fifteen while living in San Antonio, and later worked as a teamster, joined the U.S. Army, operated a photo studio, served as a news correspondent, and helped pioneer aerial photography.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Texas State Historical Assn
Published: 03/15/2013
ISBN: 9780876112618
Pages: 160
Weight: 0.65lbs
Size: 9.80h x 7.00w x 0.40d
Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 14140492863

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.1 ★★★★★
Based on 9 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
S
Verified Purchase
Shreyas J.
Phoenix, US
★★★★★ 5
Go for it if it is within your budget
Assembly instructions are easy to follow and the body is sturdy. Value for money
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2026
B
Verified Purchase
bobbiejo wilson
Alexandria, US
★★★★★ 4
Perfect for small spaces
Color: Black & Espresso, Color: Black & Espresso
I do like this table. The directions are less than desirable. I have put together MANY pieces of furniture. I put this entire thing together and realized at the end that I had some pieces backwards so the top would not collapse back to coffee table. Luckily when I took it back apart, I did not damage it beyond repair. It looks great and perfect size for my apartment livingroom. Great option to be able to use as a dining table on the rare occasion I need one. Price was right and it is pretty sturdy. Extra storage underneath for books and such.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2025
E
Verified Purchase
effie
Whiting, US
★★★★★ 5
Awesome
Color: Black
Wonderful coffee table. Easy to assemble. Very durable, even when the table is fully folded out. Any little touch will leave fingerprints though, so be prepared to clean it a bunch
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2025
M
Verified Purchase
MBC
Waukegan, US
★★★★★ 5
Cute and easy to use!
It came quickly and the directions were easy to follow! I will say that we used our electric screwdriver instead of the one provided just for when you’re screwing in the hinges— the one they provided was like dull and hard to use for that. But other than that it was seamless putting together. We use it almost everyday for kids schoolwork. I love storing their school books underneath as well. It’s lightweight enough that my kids (6 &7) can set up and put down the table themselves and it’s sturdy when using the full table or the pull up half table. Highly recommend!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2024
C
Verified Purchase
Carrie Stone
Battle Creek, US
★★★★★ 5
Great value
Perfect size, great quality and looks great!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2025

recommand products