How ‘Hope Valley: 1874’ and Its ‘When Calls the Heart’ Prequel Connect—and Why Fans Will Love Both Shows
The spinoff and the original show share the same town but tell different stories—here's how they relate to each other
Key Takeaways
- 'Hope Valley: 1874' is a prequel series to Hallmark's 'When Calls the Heart.'
- The new series takes viewers back to an earlier version of Hope Valley.
- While the two stories are connected, you don't need to watch them in any particular order.
If you love When Calls the Heart, there’s a good chance you’ve fallen for the characters of Hope Valley: 1874. Led by Bethany Joy Lenz and Benjamin Ayres, the series tells the origin story of the community we’ve come to know in When Calls, specifically by following the journey of a woman named Rebecca (Lenz), who makes a long trek with her young daughter in tow in search of a better life. If you’re curious about how this prequel series connects to the original series and are unsure if you need to watch When Calls the Heart to understand Hope Valley: 1874, allow us to break it down.
What is ‘When Calls the Heart’ about?
When Calls the Heart follows a woman named Elizabeth (portrayed by Erin Krakow) who is introduced at the beginning of the series as a teacher who has taken on a position in the community of Coal Valley. Inspired by the books by Janette Oke, her story evolves as she forms meaningful friendships, finds love and builds a family she never saw coming. The show has aired on the Hallmark Channel for 13 seasons, and a 14th season has already been confirmed. With so much love for this original series, it doesn’t come as much of a surprise that fans wanted more, hence the exciting new addition of Hope Valley: 1874 to the When Calls the Heart universe.
What is ‘Hope Valley: 1874’ about?
Hope Valley: 1874 chronicles the journey and story of Rebecca, a woman who travels with her daughter in search of a new home after purchasing a boardinghouse they had anticipated would be the key to their future. When they arrive at their destination after a tiring journey, they discover it isn’t what they were promised it would be, forcing them to accept the help of a local, kind rancher named Tom. Similar to the original series, Rebecca finds herself unsure of what the future holds in her new home, but with the generosity and kindness of the local community, things might not be so bad after all.
How are ‘Hope Valley: 1874’ and ‘When Calls the Heart’ connected?
As far as plot and storyline go, When Calls the Heart and Hope Valley: 1874 take place in different timelines and therefore, follow separate characters and events. That being said, you don’t have to watch When Calls the Heart to understand what goes on in Hope Valley. However, Hope Valley lays the foundation for When Calls the Heart, so it can be interesting for fans of the original series to see an early version of the community they’ve come to love.
“It is the town you know as Hope Valley, but that’s more of the area, the piece of land you know as Hope Valley, before it was Coal Valley,” explained Lachlan Quarmby, who plays Constable Alexander Vaughn, to TV Insider. Before it even had a name, it was just a couple of people coming out here and settling in this area. I think that Hearties are going to really enjoy seeing how the place comes to be, and see the town that they know and love right from its genesis, both in terms of buildings being where they are, but also in terms of the morals that this town was built on, community and people helping each other.”
How to watch ‘When Calls the Heart’ and ‘Hope Valley: 1874’
Because the two series take place in different timelines, you have a couple of easy viewing options depending on what you’re looking for. If you want to experience the story in chronological order, start with Hope Valley: 1874 and then move on to When Calls the Heart (beginning with Season 1). If you’d rather watch the shows the way longtime fans did, start with When Calls the Heart and then circle back to Hope Valley: 1874 as a prequel that adds extra context and “aha” moments about the town’s early days. Either way, you can follow and enjoy Hope Valley: 1874 without having seen When Calls the Heart—but watching both makes the connections to the community even more satisfying.
Where to watch ‘When Calls the Heart’ and ‘Hope Valley: 1874’
Both series air on Hallmark Channel. If you want to stream, they’re typically available on Hallmark+ (Hallmark’s streaming service). Availability can vary by season and by country, so it’s worth checking your local listings and the Hallmark app/site for the most up-to-date options.
Whether you’re a longtime Heartie or discovering Hope Valley for the first time, both series offer the kind of heartwarming, community-focused storytelling that reminds us of the power of kindness, resilience and fresh starts.
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