Children of the West: Family Life on the Frontier

With over one hundred photographs, Cathy Luchetti tells the story of growing up in an awe-inspiring yet harsh landscape. The children of the West took after their rugged and individualistic parents—they grew up learning determination along with their prayers. But there was fun to be had, from tumbling down haystacks to grasshopper races, or a tea party with corncob dolls. Large families bustled with chores and chastisement, and there was endless opportunity for mischief among siblings. The West attracted families from all over the world, bringing black Exodusters, Spanish rancheros, Asian immigrants, and American Indians into lively, and often painful, proximity—their stories made even more poignant through the lives of their children. Children of the West reveals the bygone lives of the families who populated the pioneer West, as described in their own words in letters, diaries, and journals. We come close to them through their worries and joys. The photographs draw us even closer as we see the face of family life in the changing West. 110 b/w photographs.