Westward the Women

Roy Whitman decides to prevent his workers from leaving by recruiting women to settle in Whitman Valley, California. He travels to Chicago to find women willing to undertake the arduous journey, recruiting 140 women including Patience, Rose Meyers, Fifi Danon, and Laurie Smith. The women select prospective husbands from daguerreotypes displayed on a board before setting out.

Roy and wagon master Buck Wyatt lead the group from St. Joseph, Missouri, where they prepare for the trail. They acquire Conestoga wagons and trail hands, with Japanese man Kentaro Ito persuading Buck to take him onboard as the cook. The group begins their arduous trek westward, facing the challenges of the trail.

Experienced women teach others how to harness draft animals and drive wagons. Buck warns the group to avoid romantic entanglements, as past wagon trains have been torn apart by romance. After a week of training, the journey officially commences with increased caution.

After Buck executes a trail hand for raping Laurie, most of the men abandon the group in the middle of the night, taking eight women with them. Roy considers turning back, but Buck insists they can finish the journey if they train the women to defend themselves. Meanwhile, Tony Moroni is accidentally shot during shoot training.

The group faces severe hardships, including an attack by indigenous Americans that results in Roy, Sid, and six women being killed. Laurie drowns when her wagon is swept into a river during a heavy rainstorm. Fifi and Buck develop a romantic connection amidst these struggles.

As they approach the desert, Buck orders the women to lighten their wagons by leaving furniture and clothing behind. Some women proceed on foot, and Rose goes into labor, giving birth to a son as the group pushes forward through the harsh environment.

The group stops near a small lake to rest, where women demand new dresses made from fabric gathered from nearby towns. The women are dressed appropriately before heading into town to meet their chosen husbands, marking a significant moment in their journey.

The women meet their prospective spouses in town, with Patience confidently scouting for her husband, and Mrs. Moroni greeting her groom, an Italian citrus farmer. Some couples dance, while others are married by a preacher, solidifying their new relationships.

Fifi Danon and Buck Wyatt reconcile their differences and get married, with Ito convincing Fifi to join him in marriage as well. Their union symbolizes hope and new beginnings amidst ongoing hardships.

Though not explicitly detailed, the culmination of their journey marks the settlement of women at Whitman Valley, where they meet their future spouses and start new lives. The story concludes with their resilience and the bonds formed along the trail.