The story of a West Virginia family who trekked across the 1840s wilderness of early America after a legal battle had taken their old home. Searching for a new life, the family journeyed to Fort Laramie, Wyoming and then on to California.

Members of the Chisholm party included:

• Robert Preston as Hadley Chisholm, the family patriarch, a hard-drinking, bible-quoting man (who made it to Wyoming by died form an illness soon after the family set out for California).
• Rosemary Harris as Minerva Chisholm, Hadley's wife
• Ben Murphy as Will Chisholm, who later married an Indian maiden after his wife died giving birth to his son.
• Sandra Griego/Victoria Racimo as Kewedinok, Will's Indian bride
• StaceyNelkin/Delta Burke as Bonnie Sue Chisholm, who had an the illegitimate daughter fathered by Louisville gambler Lester Hackett  who later acted a a guide on their way west. (played by Charles Frank and Reid Smith)
• Susan Swift as Annabel Chisholm, killed in an Indian attack.
• Glynnis O'Connor as Elizabeth Chisholm
• Brian Kerwin/Brett Cullen as Gideon Chisholm
• James Van Patten as Bo Chisholm
• Mitchell Ryan as Cooper Hawkins, the wagon train boss who lead the Chisholms from Wyoming to California.
• Susan Swift as Mercy Hopwell, wagon train passenger
• Devon Ericson as Betsy O'Neal, wagon train passenger
• Guich Koock as Frank O'Neal, wagon train passenger
• Les Lannom as Jeremy O'Neal, wagon train passenger
• Frank Noel as McVeety, wagon train passenger
• Nick Ramos as Tehohane, wagon train passenger
• Donald Moffat as Enos, wagon train passenger

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"The Chisholms. The frontier family of the west. Plagued by hardship in their home of West Virginia, they begin their cross country journey to California. Starring Robert Preston as the hard-drinking, bible quoting leader of his clan. And Rosemary Harris who leaves all she's ever known for a future of uncertainty. Ben Murphy as the grieving Will, whose young wife died while bearing his son. And Stacey Nelkin as the lusty Bobby Sue, a young girl with the passions of a woman. The Chisholms. Forging the pathway to the American West." -- Narration from TV Miniseries

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TRIVIA NOTE: The series was based on a four-part miniseries originally aired in the spring of 1979. The 1980 series spinoff was short lived.