La saison 1 de The Waltons a été diffusée sur CBS du jeudi 14 septembre 1972 au jeudi 19 avril 1973. Elle comporte 24 épisodes, le premier s'intitule "The Foundling" et le dernier "An Easter Story".
In the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, during the Great Depression, the Walton family makes its small income from its saw mill on Walton's Mountain. The story is told through the eyes of John Boy, who wants to be a novelist and go to college. The saga follows the family through depression and war, through growing up, school, courtship, marriage, employment, birth, aging, illness and death.