The Awakening Land

The Awakening Land is a 1978 television miniseries based on Conrad Richters trilogy of novels The Trees The Fields and The Town, published from 1940 to 1950. The series originally aired on NBC in three installments from Februaryto February 21, 1978 directed by Boris Sagal, it starred Elizabeth Montgomery and Hal Holbrook.

The series was shot in historic New Salem, Illinois. Interiors were filmed in a set constructed in a gymnasium in Springfield, the state capital. The gym was also used to house the prop and wardrobe departments. Filming tookmonths. As an incentive for the production company to choose the area, the Springfield city council agreed to fill a nearby lake so it would resemble the Ohio River. The city arranged for animals from the Elgin Zoo to be transported to the set.The production was faithful to Richters use of language characteristic of the Ohio Valley in those years. Actresschoreographer Marge Champion instructed the actors in both speech and body language of the region to add to the authenticity of the historical drama. ........

Source: Wikipedia