
Ben Cartwright is the patriarch of an all-male Nevada ranching family. Set during and after the Civil War, "Bonanza" is the story of life on the family's thousand-acre spread, known as the Ponderosa, near Virginia City. Ben has his three sons, each with a different (and deceased) mother. Serious eldest son Adam hopes to follow in his father's footsteps; middle son Hoss is a gentle giant -- physically strong, but sometimes naive; and youngest son Little Joe is the most impetuous and romantic of the offspring.

A Deputy U.S. Marshal arrives to escort a man to California to testify against a gang; guest Dan Duryea.

A potential mayoral candidate attempts to stir up trouble between majority and minority groups in town.

Ben tries to help his paraplegic neighbor Tom by setting up a grain mill on his unused land; Tom's hired hand raises his suspicion about Ben's plan.

A former dance hall girl poses as a Spanish heiress to claim a land grant that includes part of the Ponderosa; guest Sebastian Cabot.