The King family have lived in a small farming community called Avonlea on Prince Edward Island for generations. In the early 1900s, the eldest of the five King siblings, Hetty (Jackie Burroughs), oversees the goings-on in the family and ensures everything runs to her high and rigid standards. Eldest brother, Alec (Cedric Smith), and his family run the King farm. Youngest sister Olivia (Mag Ruffman), who still is treated as the baby by the others despite being a grown woman, is the third of the siblings still living in Avonlea. Two additions from the King family arrive somewhat unexpectedly to stay on the King property, one being Andrew King (Joel Blake), the son of third eldest Roger, who is off travelling the world as a renowned geologist. The other arrival is Sara Stanley (Sarah Polley), the only daughter of fourth eldest, but deceased, Ruth, who was the rebellious one in the family. Before Sara's arrival in Avonlea, the Stanleys were estranged from their Avonlea King relations. Sara is sent to stay with her relatives because her father, Blair Stanley (Robert Collins), wants to protect her from a potential scandal he is facing associated with his business in Montréal, Québec. Sara in particular will have to make many adjustments from her privileged Montréal life to survive emotionally in rural Avonlea without her father.