Season One

Laura says, "Home is the nicest word there is." The Ingalls settle on the banks of Plum Creek in Walnut Grove. To get the farm set up, Charles must take on several jobs at once. He also does a few favors for free for the people at walnut Grove. He promises one person that if he didn't get the job done in the specified time, the person could have his oxen. Charles gets injured one day when he is out on a picnic with his family. He falls of a tree while getting a kite, and breaks 2 ribs. The person comes to pick up the oxen because he believes that Charles won't get the job done on time. Charles tries to get some bags of grain stacked, but he collapses soon after starting. Then Mary and Laura try to stack the bags. While they are working, the other men in Walnut Grove come to help stack the grain. The Ingalls get to keep their oxen.

Laura and Mary attend their first day of school in Walnut Grove. There they meet Nellie Oleson, who condescendingly refers to them as "country girls". Since Laura hasn't been to school before, she tries especially hard with her schoolwork. The students have to write an essay to present in front of the class. Laura recites what she would have written on the paper if she could have, instead of what was actually written on it.

Things are looking bright for the Ingalls until a hailstorm destroys their crops. Charles must leave his family to look for work and, he meets two other farmers on they way there and one convinces them to work at the quarry. Its a dangerous job but Charles and his friend do very well. They even win $50 each. He sees a man die and must take that mans pay to his wife and son. He adds his $50 to the money and so does the other man. Meanwhile, Caroline convinces the women in Walnut Grove to band together to harvest by hand what remains of their crops.

4. MR. EDWARDS' HOMECOMING October 2, 1974

In Mankato, Charles sees Mr. Edwards starting a fight in the saloon he is so drunk he doesn't recognize Charles. Charles help's him sober up and invites him to come to Walnut Grove. Caroline tries play matchmaker with Mr. Edwards and the widow Grace Snider but Mr. Edwards is able to charm Grace all by himself. However, a conflict arises because Mr. Edwards had renounce God since the deaths of his wife and daughter. Caroline convinces him to look towards the future rather than the past. Although there are a couple problems that must be overcome, things turn out for the best in the end. When Mr. Edwards walks into the church and sits down next to Grace.

5. THE LOVE OF JOHNNY JOHNSON October 9, 1974

Laura falls in love with a new student, Johnny Johnson. Johnny, who is a lot older than Laura, is interested in Mary instead. Although Mary is not interested in Johnny, Laura's actions cause tension between the sisters. Through out the show Charles and Caroline tell Laura stories about when they were dating.

Guest stars: Mitch Vogel as Johnny Johnson.

6. IF I SHOULD WAKE BEFORE I DIE October 23, 1974

When her friend dies, Miss Amy convinces the Ingalls and Doc Baker to help her stage her own death. Convincing Caroline was the hardest part. Amy's friend had the same problem as did Amy, her family never came to see her, untill it was too late. They managed to convince the whole town that Amy is gone. With her family always too busy to visit her, this was the only way for Miss Amy to see them again. Her kids come to her funeral and are shocked to find her alive. After a few fearful words the children forgive Amy and say they are sorry.

7. TOWN PARTY, COUNTRY PARTY October 30, 1974

Laura becomes good friends with a lonely schoolmate, Olga, who has a minor disability because she was born with one leg shorter than the other. Charles offers to make special shoes for Olga but Olga's dad says no. Without his permission, Olga's grandmother tells Charles to do it. Olga's father is upset at Charles when he finds out, he even starts a fight ....until he sees Olga running and playing with the other children. He looks at her and starts crying in joy.
Guest stars: Kim Richards as Olga.

8. MA'S HOLIDAY November 6, 1974

When Charles and Caroline go away for their second honeymoon, Mr. Edwards is left to take care of the children. The honeymoon is less than spectacular when Caroline is unable to stop thinking about the children. Meanwhile, Mr. Edwards has his hands full with Carrie, and nails her dress to the roof while he was repairing it. Mr. Edwards also makes his famous rattlesnake soup, much to the dismay of Laura and Mary. He shoots a hole in the roof and in the end hurts his back, just as Caroline and Charles drive into town, Laura sees them just in time and asks Neils to keep them busy for a while, she runs home where her and Mary clean put the whole house just in time to see their parents arrive home.

9. SCHOOL MOM November 13, 1974

When Ms. Beadle sprains her ankle after Wille throws a snake in front of her horse making it go wild, Caroline is asked by the town to substitute for her at the school. Caroline takes a special interest in helping an older student, Abel, learn to read. However, her work is ruined when Mrs. Oleson disrupts the class. And criticizes Caroline's teach abilities. Mrs Oleson makes rude comments about Abel and he runs off. Caroline quits in frustration, but returns after she convinces Abel to go back to school. When Ms Beadle returns, Abel reads a thank you note for Caroline.

10. THE RACCOON November 20, 1974

Charles allows Laura adopts a baby raccoon, Jasper, until it grew bigger. Laura teaches Jasper how to beg, one day he gets into the house and makes a big mess, Charles sets him free in the woods but Jasper makes it back to the house before Charles. Seeing Laura's face he decides to let her keep it but only in a cage. After being caged, Jasper bites Laura and Jack, and runs away. When it returns to kill a chicken, Charles kills it and discovers it was rabid. Jack is tied-up and Laura is confined to bed until it can be determined whether they have rabies. One night Charles sees Jack barking and going crazy he is sure its the rabies and takes a gun and goes to shoot him, as he points the gun, Jasper pops out and starts begging, Charles drops the gun and runs home crying with joy and hugging Laura he tells the family that the raccoon he killed was not Jasper, and that both Laura and Jack will be fine.

11. THE VOICE OF TINKER JONES December 4, 1974

The town becomes divided when Mrs. Oleson offers to buy a bell for the church but only if it includes a plaque with the Oleson name. Some folks want her to do it, but others say that the church was build by everyone and no ones names are on it so why should the bell have names ? The differences and arguing begin to affect the schoolchildren. After they are told they cant play with each other. A mute craftsman, Tinker Jones, decides to settle the issue and gets the children to help him forge a bell. The kids run around looking for metal and steal and manage to help make the bell on Saturday night. The town is surprised to hear the bell ringing on Sunday and learn a lesson about peace and goodwill from the children.

12. THE AWARD December 11, 1974

While studying for an academic contest in the barn, Mary accidentally knocks over a reading lamp and starts a fire. Caroline punishes Mary by forbidding her to participate in the contest and, afterwards, reluctantly enforces it.. Mary takes a part-time job at the mercantile to repay Ms. Beadle for a book damaged in the fire. Despite her job and chores, Mary continues to find time to study for the contest. In the end, she respect her Ma's wishes and does not participate in the contest.

13. THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD (Two Hour Episode) December 18, 1974

Caroline is pregnant and gives birth to a baby boy, Charles Ingalls Jr., who captures the attention of the family. Laura resents her baby brother because she believes she no longer has her Pa's affection. When the baby becomes seriously ill and dies, Laura believes it to be her fault because she didn't pray for her brother. After talking to Reverend Alden, Laura becomes determined to seek God and ask for a miracle. Blaming herself for her brother's death, Laura runs away from home. She wants to become "closer" to God and climbs the nearest mountain. There she meets a friendly hermit, Jonathan, (Ernest Borgnine) who takes care of her and guides her in her spiritual journey. Charles and Mr. Edwards are desperately searching for Laura and find a cross Jonathan made for Laura that leads them to the mountain. When Laura realizes her Pa has found her, she tries to run but the Jonathan stops her and tells her that God wants her to be with her Pa. After they all turn around to thank Jonathan he is gone and there is no sign of him anywhere

14. CHRISTMAS AT PLUM CREEK December 25, 1974

The winter holiday is approaching and the members of the Ingalls family go about their holiday shopping in secrecy. Charles, Caroline, and Mary are able to find means to create or purchase gifts. Charles makes a saddle for Laura, and rebuilds some wagon wheels with the intention of buying Caroline a stove she wants. Both Mary and Caroline make Charles the same shirt, but Caroline hides the one she made so not to spoil Mary's surprise. Carrie buys a silver star for the top of the Christmas tree. Laura...well, she comes up with a plan. At Christmas, Caroline is surprised to receive an oven -- presumably from Charles, but, actually, from Laura. We learn that Laura traded her beloved horse, Bunny, to Mr. Oleson in order to buy the oven. Caroline tries to stop the deal saying "she loves that horse" but Charles tells her " She loves you more" Laura is in tears but we soon find out its not over the horse but over all the hard work Charles put into making the saddle.

15. FAMILY QUARREL January 5, 1975

The bubble finally bursts when Nels and Harriet go their separate ways after an argument. The town attempts but fail to bring the two back together. It's only when Charles and Caroline are able to make them remember the better aspects of each other do they reconcile.

16. DOCTOR'S LADY January 15, 1975

Harriet's niece, Kate, visits Walnut Grove. She and Doc Baker spend time together and fall in love. Despite Doc Baker's reservations about his age, he and Kate decide to get married. Unfortunately, Doc Baker realizes that she is too young for him when he sees Kate running around with Mary and Laura and, painfully, he lets her go.

17. PLAGUE January 29, 1975

An outbreak of typhus hits Walnut Grove. Doc Baker, Charles, and Reverend Alden set up quarantine in the church. Despite their attempts to control plague, it continues to spread. They are finally able to trace the source to a rat-infested cornmeal shed

18. CIRCUS MAN February 5, 1975

A traveling sideshow performer, O'Hara, comes to Walnut Grove and delights the children with his tricks. However, Harriet Oleson almost loses her life when she refuses an operation in lieu of O'Hara's magic powder. O'Hara leaves but returns to "treat" Laura's dog, Jack, who is injured. And in doing so, he give Laura hope. When Jack recovers, O'Hara confesses to the children that his act was phony

19. CHILD IN PAIN February 12, 1975

The town determines how to handle an alcoholic father, John Stewart, who beats his son, Graham. Caroline takes in Graham while Charles stays with John and works him hard to help him stay sober. John is able to overcome his problem and realizes inner aspects about himself.

20. MONEY CROP February 19, 1975

A new farmer in Walnut Grove, Joe Colter, convinces the other farmers to switch from wheat to corn. On his way back from Minneapolis with the corn seeds, Joe's wagon overturns out of sight of the road, and he is trapped beneath it. Meanwhile, the farmers in Walnut Grove become suspicious when Joe is late to return, and they take their frustrations out on Joe's pregnant wife. Charles is able to find Joe, and bring him and their corn seed back safely to Walnut Grove. To make up for their poor behavior, the farmers help an injured Joe by tending to his fields.

21. SURVIVAL February 26, 1975

The Ingalls, on their way home from Mankato, have to seek shelter from a raging blizzard. Meanwhile, the Marshall from Sleepy Eye is looking for a Sioux Indian, Jack Lamehorse. The Indian saves Charles who fell and his hurt while hunting. They reach the log cabin where the Ingalls have sought refuge from the storm, and they find the Marshall who intends to kill the Indian. The Indian, with Charles' help, escapes during the night, and Charles prevents the Marshall from killing him. The blizzard drags on and Charles realizes he will have to kill one of his horses for food, but the Indian returns with the deer Charles left in the snow when he was injured. The Marshall shoots the Indian, but regrets it after learning that the Indian was in fact going to save them all from starvation. When the Marshall's aides reach the cabin at the end of the storm, the Marshall tells them the Indian is nowhere to be found and they all go their separate ways

22. TO SEE THE WORLD March 5, 1975

Johnny Johnson's head gets filled with adventure by Mr Edwards, and after a quarrel with his father, Johnny decides to go out and see the world. Mr. Edwards tries to dissuade Johnny, but he doesn't give in. Mr. Edwards reluctantly lets Johnny get a ride to Sleepy Eye. Mr Edwards tries to find a way change Johnny's mind and stages a fixed poker game so that Johnny will lose all his money. But Johnny wins a lot more money than expected. He falls in love with a waitress, Miss Mimi, who's supposed to be interested in him while he still has money and lose interest in him when his money dries out, in order to teach Johnny a lesson. Mr Edwards promises Miss Mimi some money if she can persuade Johnny to go back home to his father. She tells him that she made that mistake when she was younger and wishes she hadn't. She promises Johnny to go home to her old ailing parents only if Johnny promises to go home. He eventually returns after losing all his own and Mr. Edwards money

23. FOUNDER'S DAY May 7, 1975

Competitive spirits are high for the contests held on Founder's Day, pitting members of the Ingalls family against members of the Oleson family. Despite his age, Jim Taylor boasts to be the best logger in town, and riles Charles for being a farmer in logger's clothing. Caroline Ingalls is up against Mrs. OIeson in the "Best Pie Contest", and Charles and Nels fall into a pool of mud during the Tug-of-War contest. Harriett and Nellie are up against Laura and Caroline in the Three-Legged Race., and Mary is in the Jump Rope Contest. On the day of the wood chopping competition, Jim Taylor's wife explains to Charles that Jim just wanted to be recognized for his many hard years of work. To make the contest fair, Charles handicaps himself by using his old ax to make up the age differential, instead of his brand new one he bought especially for the contest, and Jim Taylor wins the contest.