Danny Dailey, an Irish Catholic immigrant, settles with his family along the banks of the Buffalo Creek. Shunned by the Protestant settlers in the village of Buffalo, they are befriended by the Seneca Indians dwelling along the creek. Finding themselves caught up in the War of 1812 the family struggles for survival on the Niagara Frontier. This accurate portrayal of the harsh life on the Niagara Frontier follows Danny and his descendents through the war, the building of the Erie Canal, the rapid growth of the tiny village of Buffalo, and it's emergence as the Queen City of the Lakes.