Hinrich traces the immigrant Schlichting family from the unrest of 1860s Germany to the hope of post-Civil War America. The journey passes through Cincinnati and Milwaukee to the farming frontier of Minnesota and westward to Oregon. The episodic separation and reunion of the family is mirrored by a young nation undergoing similar success mixed with challenges. Like their adopted country, the Schlichtings depended on resourceful leadership, persistence of spirit, and a sense of obligation to one another. It is a story of vision, opportunity, and the value of family.