Ice Palace

In the years after World War I, Zeb Kennedy, Thor Storm and other settlers arrive in Baranof, Alaska. Kennedy quickly climbs in the local fish cannery business and begins planning a cannery with Storm. He also befriends Wang, a Chinese worker, laying the groundwork for future ventures.

Kennedy falls for Bridie Ballantyne, Storm's fiancée, but he ultimately chooses money over love and marries Seattle heiress Dorothy Wendt. The marriage marks a shift from idealism toward wealth and political ambition. The personal betrayal sets the stage for the coming conflict with Storm.

When Storm discovers Bridie's infidelity, he punches Kennedy and flees Baranof on a dog sled, retreating into the wilderness. He disappears into the wilderness, leaving behind the rising cannery ambitions they shared. The alliance between the two men fractures irreparably.

Kennedy returns to Baranof and launches a packing company, recruiting Wang and his old friend Dave Husack. The venture expands his control over the local economy and solidifies his power. The cannery project continues to loom in the background.

The Kennedys welcome a daughter named Grace. Her arrival adds complexity to the family dynamics as old rivalries simmer beneath the surface. The stage is set for the next generation to challenge the feuding fathers.

Storm comes back to Baranof with his infant son Christopher, who was born to an Eskimo wife who died after labor. The reappearance of Storm and the presence of a child intensify the rivalry with Kennedy. The two men remain at odds despite evolving circumstances.

Over the years Storm grows to resent Kennedy over the cannery’s use of salmon traps that deplete the fish stocks. He wins support from fishermen and Alaska natives and enters the Alaska Territorial Legislature on a statehood platform. He opposes Kennedy’s business dominance and seeks political change.

Christopher and Grace develop a romance, complicating the feud between their fathers. Kennedy openly tries to keep the relationship from progressing by disfavoring the other family. The personal stakes heighten the political tensions in Baranof.

Grace and Christopher elope to the Eskimo village of Anavak seeking a life away from conflict. During this time, Dorothy dies, removing a stabilizing influence from Zeb's life. The families are pushed toward greater estrangement.

Grace becomes pregnant and the couple plans to travel to Baranof for the birth. En route, Christopher is killed when a bear attacks their dog sled team. Zeb, Thor and Bridie shoot the bear to protect them, and Grace gives birth to Christine before dying. Christine grows up amid the fractured families.

Christine grows up between Ballantyne’s home and the feuding Kennedy and Storm households. Zeb trains Bay Husack to be his political pawn in the Territorial Legislature and pushes for Bay to marry Christine. Ballantyne uncovers the plot and publicly exposes it, ending the engagement.

Storm flies to Juneau but is forced to crash-land on a glacier during a snowstorm. Ballantyne persuades Kennedy to make a risky flight to rescue Storm and his Eskimo pilot, Ross Guildenstern. The rescue succeeds and Storm's speeches before Congress help push Alaska toward statehood.

Storm's congressional speeches drive the push for Alaska's statehood. Kennedy delivers a conciliatory radio address afterward, signaling a thaw in their rivalry. The political momentum culminates in a significant shift for the territory.

Alaska achieves statehood, with Storm as a leading advocate and Kennedy in a reconciled position. The era closes with a new political order and the two rivals acknowledging each other publicly. The settlement reshapes the future of Baranof and the surrounding communities.