A stunningly beautiful backdrop where cultures meet, meld, and thrive, the U.S.–Mexico borderlands is one of the most dynamic regions in the Americas.On the Border explores little-known corners of this fascinating area of the world in a rich collection of essays. Beginning with an exploration of mining and the rise of Tijuana, the book examines a number of aspects of the region's social and cultural history, including urban growth and housing, the mysterious underworld of border-town nightlife, a film noir treatment of the Peteet family suicides, borderlands cuisine, the life of squatters, and popular religion. As stimulating as it is livelyOn the Border will spark a new appreciation for the range of social and cultural experiences in the borderlands.

A stunningly beautiful backdrop where cultures meet, meld, and thrive, the U.S.–Mexico borderlands is one of the most dynamic regions in the Americas.On the Border explores little-known corners of this fascinating area of the world in a rich collection of essays. Beginning with an exploration of mining and the rise of Tijuana, the book examines a number of aspects of the region's social and cultural history, including urban growth and housing, the mysterious underworld of border-town nightlife, a film noir treatment of the Peteet family suicides, borderlands cuisine, the life of squatters, and popular religion. As stimulating as it is livelyOn the Border will spark a new appreciation for the range of social and cultural experiences in the borderlands.

Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 The Mining Boom in Baja California from 1850 to 1890 and the Emergence of Tijuana as a Border Community
Chapter 3 Anticipating theColonias: Popular Housing in El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, 1890–1923
Chapter 4 The Fence and Gates of Ambos Nogales: A Postcard Landscape Exploration
Chapter 5 A Note on Homosexuality in Porfirian and Postrevolutionary Northern Mexico
Chapter 6 All Night at the Owl: The Social and Political Relations of Mexicali's Red-Light District, 1909–1925
Chapter 7 The "Shame Suicides" and Tijuana
Chapter 8 Low-Budget Films forFronterizos and Mexican Migrants in the United States
Chapter 9 Tex-Mex, Cal-Mex, New Mex, or Whose Mex? Notes on the Historical Geography of Southwestern Cuisine
Chapter 10 U.S. Ports of Entry on the Mexican Border
Chapter 11 Slab City: Squatters' Paradise?
Chapter 12 Juan Soldado: Field Notes and Reflections
Chapter 13 The Oaxacan Enclaves in Los Angeles: A Photo Essay
Chapter 14 How Would You Like an El Camino? U.S. Perceptions of Mexico in Two Recent Hollywood Films