In 1936, Texas rode into the middle of America's Great Depression at a gallop, brandishing its Western color, Southern charm, and abundant natural resources for all to admire. The state was staging its Centennial celebration and intended to reinvent its image from an uncivilized frontier to that of a bountiful, diverse, and modern state. Centennial organizers proposed an unparalleled advertising blitz to entice visitors to see the state for themselves, but there was a hitch: In 100 years, no one had ever documented the state photographically. With time running short before the opening of Dallas's Centennial Exposition, officials hired Polly Smith,a 27-year-old photographer undertaking her first major professional assignment. Her task: to crisscross the state by air, rail, and car and illustrate Texas for America. In this historical account, author Evelyn Barker tells the story of the Texas Centennial and the woman who, with the support of her extraordinary family, rose above early hardships to become one of Texas finest photographers and the first to compile a comprehensive picture of the state.