The Ingalls are forced to sell their house to the Carters and leave Walnut Grove to find a more promising life. Mrs. Carter begins printing a newspaper for Walnut Grove. Etta Plum becomes the teacher in Walnut Grove when Laura decides she wants to spend more time with Rose. Almanzo's brother, Royal, comes to Walnut Grove with his daughter, Jenny.

Royal has a very bad heart and asks Laura and Almanzo to take care of his daughter since he was going to die soon. Jenny is devastated by her father's death. After talking to Reverend Alden about heaven, she tries to commit suicide by drowning so that she could be with her father again. Jeb Carter is able to save Jenny although he can't swim. Laura convinces Jenny that she should do what would make her parents proud.

Mithilfe einer alten Stadtobligation will Mrs. Oleson in Walnut Grove an Einfluss gewinnen und drängt ihren Ehemann Nel, sich zur Wahl des Bürgermeisters aufstellen zu lassen. Um eine Alleinherrschaft der Olesons zu verhindern, kürt der Farmer Lem McCary kurzerhand Almanzo zum Gegenkandidaten.

Mr. Stark has gotten himself so far in debt that he has lost his mind. He goes home and shoots his wife and daughter. Then he goes off and ends up at Laura's house. He mistakes Laura and Jenny for his wife and daughter, but when he sees Rose, he thinks that his daughter has had a baby.

A tiny circus performer, Lou, decides to look for work in Walnut Grove after his wife dies while giving birth to his baby girl. A prejudice Mrs. Oleson uses her power to make sure that the dwarf doesn't find work. She even threatens Mr. Anderson that she would close her account at the bank if he hired Lou. To keep the infant alive, the dwarf must steal food. Mrs. Oleson decides to press charges when she finds out who stole the food. When Nancy falls in a well, Lou risks his life to save the girl. That's when Mrs. Oleson decides that being small has its advantages and decides to drop all charges.

A traveling side-show comes to Walnut Grove. The main attraction is a wild boy. The wild boy escapes and becomes friends with the Wilders. The boy turns out to be Matthew Roger and the reason he acts wild is become he is given morphine.

Mr. Edwards keeps Matthew at his place, but Nancy Oleson tells on him. A judge comes and rules that Matthew be placed in an institution. Then Mr. Edwards makes a statement that everyone is crazy sometime. He convinces the judge to allow the boy to stay with Mr. Edwards.

Nellie returns to Walnut Grove and discovers that Nancy is a lot worse than she ever was. When Nancy isn't the center of attention, she runs away. Nels and Nellie search until they find her. Just when they think Nancy has learned a valuable lesson, she proves that she really hasn't.

Die Eisenbahn hält Einzug in Walnut Grove! Die neue Technologie verspricht Arbeit und Wohlstand für die Bürger der Stadt. Doch der Fortschritt fordert seinen Tribut: Einige Farmer müssen ihr Land aufgeben, um der Eisenbahnstrecke Platz zu machen.

Lauras blinde Jugendfreundin Jane kommt nach Walnut Grove, um sich einer Operation zu unterziehen, die ihr das Augenlicht zurückgeben könnte. Der einsame Witwer Mr. Edwards gibt der zögernden Jane schließlich die Kraft, den riskanten Eingriff vornehmen zu lassen.

Der neue Reverend, der junge Addison Hale, macht Laura und Sarah in Abwesenheit ihrer Ehemänner recht eindeutige Avancen. Mr. Edwards beschließt, den charmanten Prediger im Auge zu behalten und die Rolle des Beschützers für Laura und Sarah zu übernehmen.

Nach einem schweren Unfall leidet die kleine Jenny Wilder an Sprach- und Bewegungsstörungen. Nun kann ihr nur noch Dr. Martin Haynes helfen. Doch der alte Arzt hat seine eigenen Probleme: Er droht zu erblinden.

Der Besuch von Sarah Carters Vater Elliott Reed stiftet allerlei Unruhe. Durch seine Herrschsucht und Arroganz zerstört der reiche Verleger den Haussegen der Carters und will sie dazu zwingen, Walnut Grove zu verlassen, um mit ihm nach New York zu ziehen.

The Older Brothers is a gang that used to have a notorious reputation. First they hold up Mr. Edwards but end up losing the money. Then they try to get ransom money for Mr. Edwards but that doesn't go very well.

Nach ihrem unverhofften Sieg bei einem Autorenwettbewerb reist Laura nach Minneapolis, um sich mit dem Verleger Amos Broxton zu treffen. Dieser versucht, die zögernde Laura davon zu überzeugen, ihr erstes Buch zu schreiben.

When Albert continually breaks the law, Charles takes him out of the big city and back to Walnut Grove. Albert doesn't change in Walnut Grove because he is addicted to morphine. Charles finally forces Albert to stop using morphine. He stays with Albert while he goes through withdrawal. Thanks to Charles, Albert is no longer addicted to morphine. We find out at the end of the show that Albert will become Dr. Albert Ingalls.

When Albert continually breaks the law, Charles takes him out of the big city and back to Walnut Grove. Albert doesn't change in Walnut Grove because he is addicted to morphine. Charles finally forces Albert to stop using morphine. He stays with Albert while he goes through withdrawal. Thanks to Charles, Albert is no longer addicted to morphine. We find out at the end of the show that Albert will become Dr. Albert Ingalls.

Laura gives birth to a baby boy. The baby is fine and healthy for a while. Then for no apparent reason the baby dies. To ease her mind of the death, she blames Doc Baker for what happened to her baby. Doc's reputation declines so much that he must leave town to find work. Just before Doc Baker leaves, Rose comes down with small pox. Doc must stay quarantined with the Wilders for two weeks. Watching the Doc save Rose's life causes Laura to rethink her attitude about Doc Baker. Laura and the rest of the town convince him to stay on.

Jason Carter starts working for an old lady. Jason becomes great friends of the lady. However, Jason's mom believes the lady is being too nice. Jason is forbidden to work for the old lady until Sarah finds out that the lady will soon die.

Isaiah Edwards sorgt in Walnut Grove für Aufsehen, als er das Orang Utan Baby Blanche bei sich aufnimmt. Das fremdartige Wesen verursacht vor allem bei Mrs. Oleson Angstzustände. Sie stiftet sogar den Sheriff an, das Affenbaby zu töten. Doch Edwards und die Kinder von Walnut Grove machen sich für die kleine Blanche stark.

An seinem sechzehnten Geburtstag eröffnet Willie Oleson seinen entsetzten Eltern, dass er nicht studieren will, um stattdessen Rachel Brown zu heiraten. Mrs. Oleson will die Heirat daraufhin um jeden Preis verhindern.