SKU: 14140492863

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

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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
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SKU: 14140492863

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Alexandria, US
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Great quality, even better price
Size: One Size, Color: Lemongrass
Very awesome purse!!
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Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2026
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Size: One Size, Color: Tuscany
A little disappointed. Bag is a good size but the color is not the same as another Lucky Brand bag that I was trying to replace. It’s darker and not a true tan leather. The crossbody clip on is not leather.
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MNMomma
Waukegan, US
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Lucky Brand at Amazon Prices
Size: One Size, Color: Rose Quartz
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Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2025
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Christine Spencer
Omaha, US
★★★★★ 3
Love the style but it doesn’t hold shape
Size: One Size, Color: Vanilla
I am big fan of the Lucky Brand. This tote disappointed simply because it was floppy. So if you set it down it just collapses instead of holding shape. So it wasn’t what I was looking for in a tote. I was really excited about this bag because I love the style and color. But I ended up returning it.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2026
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S Gardner
Lake Worth, US
★★★★★ 5
Super cute… but not what the listing is
Size: One Size, Color: Dark Cappuccino, Size: One Size, Color: Dark Cappuccino
First of all, this listing is entirely inaccurate, as other reviews say, the picture is of a larger bag when in reality you are sent something much smaller and without the small wallet. I wanted the smaller bag, so I ordered it intentionally, but if you are looking for the larger size, do not order this. I included a side by side comparison of the two bags. The lighter bag is the size this listing is supposed to be (that I owned previously) and the smaller one is the one I was sent. That being said the smaller bag is super cute and so similar to the Brooklyn bag! Just be aware that it does not match the listing :)
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Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2025

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