Alvira Drummond, a glamorous actress of the stage and screen, is stranded on Walton's Mountain by her chauffeur whom she claims has stolen all of her money and her belongings.
Miss Hunter is threatened by Lutie Bascomb for teaching the origins of the human race, accusing her of filling his daughter Lois Mae's head with "blasphemy" and "atheism".
The validity of the Waltons' claim to their land is questioned when they cannot produce a legal deed to the property. To sort out their legal troubles they must raise $200 and John-boy assists by taking a job in the city of Wheeling.
When Verdie Grant learns her daughter is graduating from college, she feels embarrassed by the fact that she never learned to read or write. She asks John-Boy to teach her, on the condition that he keeps it a secret.
Thanksgiving time on Walton's Mountain means a turkey shoot, a school play about early settlers, and the big meal. One year it also included a rekindled love affair and a life-threatening accident.