Henry Barton is dropping off his pregnant wife Elsie at the Shady Rest. While the baby isn't due for two weeks, Henry still wants someone to watch Elsie as he will be gone for three days. The women aren't at all worried, but Uncle Joe is quite concerned. Joe gets even more panicked when Kate tells him most babies arrive in the middle of the night. He comes up with an elaborate plan involving some of the men of the valley to get Doc Stuart to the Shady Rest if Elsie has the baby in the middle of the night. Without telling anyone, Joe has a trial run of his plan at 3am just to make sure it all goes smoothly. Everyone is quite mad at Uncle Joe. To make matters worse, Joe does it a second time. When Elsie does actually go into labor, it looks as though someone else will have to help with the delivery

Uncle Joe has formed the Hooterville Volunteer Fire Department Volunteer Band. The band is so bad that it is driving paying guests away from the hotel. Joe hoped to raise money with the band to form an actual Hooterville Volunteer Fire Department. An upset Joe tells Kate she should come up with a better way to raise the money. After asking for donations only raises $62, Kates decides they need professional help. Kate wants to contact Henry Phillips, who works for a company that manufacture fire equipment, and ask his help. Calling in an outsider irks Uncle Joe and he says he can get all the equipment they need for the $62 they have. Joe winds up buying a bunch of junk. Mr. Phillips arrives and after a plan gone wrong by Joe, Kate finds a way to have Mr. Phillips get them what they need. Another plan of Joe's goes wrong and the Hooterville train station winds up burning down.

The Governor announces that he will make a grassroots tour of the state. Uncle Joe is excited by the news, but no one else seems to care. The Governor has not announced his itinerary, but he is welcoming invitations from interested communities. Joe hopes to be able to advertise that the Governor slept at the Shady Rest. Joe says he sent an invitation and believes that the Governor is coming to Hooterville. Joe has a hard time organizing a welcoming as everyone is still not that excited. When the Cannonball arrives, there is no Governor. Turns out Joe forgot to mail the invite

The National Amateur Hour is screening for new talent, and are holding auditions through the valley's own radio Station K. The winning performer is to receive $200. Once Uncle Joe hears about the prize money, he thinks that Steve and Billie Jo should enter. Sydney Sparks, a talent agent who heard Steve and Billie Jo, wants to represent them if they win the contest. His plans are for them to go on the road as a nightclub act. The family has mixed emotions. They are happy for the potential new career, but sad to see Steve and Billie Jo possibly leave for good. Billie Jo wants to do it and sees no down side. Steve doesn't as he doesn't want to be continually on the road living out of a suitcase. Uncle Joe thinks he may have a way so that Steve and Billie Jo don't have to make the decision themselves.

Without telling anyone in the valley the reason why, Kate takes a trip to the big city. When she returns she tells everyone that she decided to sell the hotel and she went to the city to finalize the terms of the deal with the buyer, Mr. Holloway, a chain hotelier. The money from the sale will provide any opportunity the girls want. The valley residents are sad to see Kate and the girls leave, but the girls are initially happy about the news. But the girls all come to the realization that they still like calling the Shady Rest home, especially after Steve announces that he's staying regardless. Kate comes to understand what life in Hooterville and at the Shady Rest really means to them all. But she feels that she made a verbal agreement with Mr. Holloway that she ethically cannot back out of. Uncle Joe tries to use a little emotional blackmail to convince Kate not to sign to final papers.

Henry and Wilma Tuttle have decided to move into Hooterville Valley. With their arrival Hooterville is now eligible to have a representative on the County Board of Supervisors. Sam scoffs at Kate's suggestion for a good candidate for Supervisor because she picked a woman. This sets off a battle of the sexes for Hooterville's Board representative. The men decide to back Sam and the women decide to back Kate. With the valley equally divided based on gender, both sides feel the best way to win is gain the vote of those in the valley who have no previous allegiance, namely the Tuttles. The women try to convince Henry to vote for Kate, while the men try to convince Wilma to vote for Sam. Henry and Wilma decide to move away because of all the fighting.

Sam receives a cablegram for Kate from Betty Jo and Steve on the cruise ship as they're sailing to Hawaii for their honeymoon. Betty Jo and Steve will be telephoning at 4pm the following day from Hawaii. Kate and the family are excited about the news, with Kate and Sam doing whatever they can to make sure that the telephone call makes it through. As 4pm approaches, Kate, the girls and Uncle Joe are in their Sunday best in Sam's store waiting for the call. Unfortunately there are a few obstacles and the telephone call never comes through. Later that evening Kate calls the couple. Meanwhile, Betty Jo and Steve are getting used to the idea of being married.

Uncle Joe discovers that the 75th anniversary of the railroad between Hooterville & Pixley is approaching, and seeks to take control of the ceremony.

Bille Jo returns from Chicago with a visionary zeal for the women's liberation movement, and enlists her sisters in ""the cause.""