Shortly after marrying Sally Watterson (Irene Dunne) in 1859, Peter Cortlandt (Randolph Scott) discovers oil on his grandmother's farm, and soon nearby farmers also find natural gas reserves beneath their land. Determined to purchase their valuable land, railroad tycoon Walt Brennan (Alan Hale) raises the prices for using his trains for oil transportation, hoping to force the farmers to sell. Peter, in search of a better solution, begins constructing a pipeline.