Ivan Wideman

The Ingalls, Garveys, Olsens, and Albert get back to Walnut Grove to find it run down and in shabby condition. Lars Hansen, who founded Walnut grove over 50 years ago, has suffered a stroke, and is much like the town--on its last leg. The Ingalls and the Garveys go to the farms around town to let everyone know of their plans to fix the town up to restore it to its former glory.

Trying to convince Tom Carlin, blinded by a childhood bout with the measles, that he can lead a productive life, Adam Kendall battles Tom's bitter, skeptical father and is unexpectedly aided by the underdog Winoka Warriors, who have just lost their star player to a rival football team.

As the journey from the last episode continues, a woman by the name of Hester Sue Terhoun is prepared to help teach at the new school, and she quickly gets into Joe Kagen's good graces - but not Harriet Oleson's. Meanwhile, Adam reveals a dark secret about himself, and issues concerning racism affect everyone.

Adam proposes to Mary, and they plan a wedding in Winoka. Charles and Caroline cannot afford to send the whole family to the event, so they are forced to make the trip by themselves. All seems to be going great until Mary, who fears that she and her Adam can never be proper parents, calls the whole thing off.

Laura befriends a classmate named Amelia Bevins, who is ashamed of her obese father. When the man realizes how much pain he is causing his wife and daughter, he leaves them temporarily for a "business trip" that will change their family forever.