Long ago, on a 1,000 square mile ranch far away,

lived a father and his three grown sons.

These four fellas were generally amiable with one another,

the townspeople, sudden strangers, and all of God’s creatures.

Unless, of course, there was reason to be otherwise.

The premise of Bonanza was to present domestic, moral and social issues and causes, and find the best resolution for everyone involved.

Most of us recognize the series’ theme song within its first few notes. For 14 straight seasons, Bonanza played on televisions across America and beyond.

Take your time with the two clips below; the first about casting of characters, followed by a tour of The Ponderosa homeplace replica.