Faced with a marriage that is falling apart and the death of her adoptive mother, thirty-nine year-old Karen Johnston returns to Oklahoma to sell the home where she grew up. She has always known that her biological mother died during her birth, but she has never felt the need to find her real father--until now. The house and an old trunk in the attic lead her on a search for her biological father and answers to her marriage. She also unearths the stories of many strong women and families who once lived in the house. (additional info below)The House on 4th Street consists of five interconnected stories with an unexpected conclusion. In the journals Karen finds in Oklahoma, we meet:~Lily, a strong, outspoken woman, follows her husband to the plains of Oklahoma in 1886 to complete the rail line. Her driving desire is for a home of her own, and she will do anything to achieve that goal--even if it puts her marriage at risk. The local tribe, the Land Run, and the opening of the university are only a few things she faces.~Davis, Lily and Charles' son, returns from Kansas City in 1922 to prove himself to his father. He uses people and connections to involve himself in the local real estate market in 1922. A lovable scoundrel, he cons both friends and family until he meets the beautiful Belinda. Little does he know how their meeting will change his life.~Maxine Watson has to find a way to tell her husband, just returned from WWII, a terrible secret. Bob, a pilot, comes home from England wounded emotionally and physically. Will her news destroy their marriage or will Bob find the courage and strength to forgive?~Angela Johnston, Karen's adoptive mother, struggles with the conflict between career and children, with the war in Viet Nam, and with her resolve to remain true to her self. She and husband Richard are professors at the local university and find themselves embroiled in the lives of their students.~Mark Roberts comes home from Cambodia in 1973 a broken man. He faces the demons of his past: his wife's death, the atrocities of war, and a secret he can share with no one. He will have to make difficult decisions in order to heal.