In the small, picturesque town of Sweetwater, Texas, things are not always what they seem.

The year is 1880, and for the most part Sweetwater has managed to avoid the effects of industrialization and the subsequent problems that come with it. The town is located deep in the Texas Hill Country on the banks of Sweetwater River, nestled right in the middle of Sweetwater Valley. Ask anyone in the town and they’ll be quick to tell you there’s not a prettier place in Texas, especially down at the Falls.

The population of Sweetwater has always been a closely-knit community -- most residents see it as a kind of second family, and hold onto their small-town atmosphere dearly. It’s the kind of place where everyone knows everyone else, and you can never keep a secret for very long.

Located across the River from the main town is the Buckley Ranch, home to some of the finest cattle and horses in the state. The town’s economy is heavily dependent on the ranch for its business, and anyone with time to spare helps out during the busy calving season. Not only this, but the Buckley Ranch is the largest employer in the area, providing work for ranch hands as well as household helpers.

Those who do not work at the ranch make their livings in other various ways. Many individual families own small plots of land that they use to grow various fruits and vegetables, and after the harvest in October the town gathers for their annual Harvest Festival down at the bend in the river, just below the Falls.

Life has been this way for as long as anyone in the town can remember, but the times are changing, and Sweetwater is not immune. Oil fields, ironworks, cotton mills, and other such factories are being built all across the state, and in the eyes of Raycroft Oil & Ironworks, Sweetwater is next in line.

Randall Raycroft has set his sights on Sweetwater and the Buckley Ranch. To him, the Sweetwater Falls are nothing more than a resource waiting to be tapped for the good of mankind. He wants to buyout the land, dam up the falls, and use the energy to power a brand new, state-of-the art ironworks mill.

The one wrench in his master plan? Sweetwater doesn’t want him there.

Most residents have taken a strong stance against the buyout, including the owner of the Buckley Ranch and the Mayor of Sweetwater. Tensions are mounting on both sides, and Raycroft has taken to using underhanded methods in order to intimidate key citizens to support his view for the future. Among his opposition: the Sheriff, the Mayor, and the owner of the General Store.

Will the town be able to avoid succumbing to Raycroft’s aspirations and continue on with its peaceful, simplistic existence? Or will the beauty of Sweetwater Falls fade as it is manipulated and polluted for the benefit of humanity?

Only time will tell.