Young Pioneers' Christmas

It is winter in the prairie town of Wildrose in 1874. Molly and David Beaton struggle with grief after the death of their baby son. Their sense of loss is exacerbated when the railroad company invokes eminent domain over their neighbor's property in order to bypass the Sioux Indian reservation. It is a hard Christmas (their tree is made of pine cones because trees are hard to come by on the prairie) but their courage and spirit prevail. ==Production==

Production began in mid-summer 1976 with set construction at the Empire Ranch near Sonoita, Arizona. Complete buildings were fabricated for the town of 'Wildrose,' with the inclusion of a railroad spur and depot. Some scenes were filmed at Fox Studios in Los Angeles, California due to a lack of available facilities in the Tucson, Arizona area. Location filming in Arizona commenced in August and was completed in September. ABC Circle Films negotiated with a local aviation firm in Arizona for conversion of a hangar into a sound stage in anticipation of the project becoming a series. When it was not picked up by ABC the entire set consisting of 18 buildings, a railroad station and track, two water towers and 20 utility poles were sold and carted off to Sierra Vista, Arizona. ==Cast==

• Linda Purl as Molly Beaton • Roger Kern as David Beaton • Robert Hays as Dan Gray • Kay Kimler as Nettie Peters • Robert Donner as Mr. Peters • Britt Leach as Loftus • Arnold Soboloff as Yancy • Brendan Dillon as Doyle • Rand Bridges as Pike • Brian Melrose as Charlie Peters • Sherri Wagner as Flora Peters ==See also==