Hill Valley, California, 1885, Version One

The town of Hill Valley hires a woman named Clara Clayton to work as their local school teacher. She arrives by train on September 4th, but on the way from the train depot to town, her hired wagon crashes into the Shonash Ravine and she is killed. The location is renamed Clayton Ravine in her honor. 

Hill Valley, California, 1885, Version Two

On January 1st, a man by the name of Doctor Emmett Brown arrives just outside of town in a vehicle previously unknown to mankind. He buries the vehicle in an abandoned mineshaft and sets up a blacksmith shop. He does fairly well for himself, and is happy in his new life in Hill Valley. On September 1st of that year, he writes a letter and entrusts its delivery with Western Union. The delivery instructions are very precise; he specified not only to whom it should be delivered, but also where, and when, down to the minute. It is addressed to someone by the name of Marty McFly, to be delivered not far from their current location, late at night on November 12, 1955 - a full seventy years from now. The couriers are baffled, but promise to do their duty. 

On September 4th, Brown picks up school teacher Clara Clayton from the train depot and escorts her safely to town. Their affection for each other develops immediately.

Less than a week after posting the letter, Brown enters into a dispute of payment with local outlaw Buford Tannen. Tannen shoots and kills Brown on September 7th. He is buried in Boot Hill Cemetery by Clayton. 

Hill Valley, California, 1885, Version Three

On January 1st, a man by the name of Doctor Emmett Brown arrives just outside of town in a vehicle previously unknown to mankind. He buries the vehicle in an abandoned mineshaft and sets up a blacksmith shop. He does fairly well for himself, and is happy in his new life in Hill Valley. On September 1st of that year, he writes a letter and entrusts its delivery with Western Union. The delivery instructions are very precise; he specified not only to whom it should be delivered, but also where, and when, down to the minute. It is addressed to someone by the name of Marty McFly, to be delivered not far from their current location, late at night on November 12, 1955 - a full seventy years from now. The couriers are baffled, but promise to do their duty. 

The day after posting the letter, a young man calling himself Clint Eastwood arrives at Brown’s door, insisting that Brown leave with him in order to save his own life. Brown initially considers the proposition. However, on September 4th, Brown rescues school teacher Clara Clayton from nearly falling into Shonash Ravine. Their affection for each other develops immediately, and Brown decides to remain in Hill Valley. 

While in town, Eastwood comes into conflict with local outlaw Buford Tannen. On September 7th, Tannen shoots Eastwood, who survives by use of a metal breastplate. Eastwood flees town, boarding an unusual looking train car remarkably similar to the vehicle Brown arrived in. The vehicle careens off an incomplete train track into Shonash Ravine. The vehicle and Eastwood’s body are never found, and he is presumed dead. The location is renamed Eastwood Ravine in his honor.

Emmett Brown marries Clara Clayton, and together they have two sons who they name Jules and Verne. After about several years of marital bliss, the family boards a train and they leave Hill Valley.

Hill Valley California, 1955

In the early morning hours of November 5th, Calvin Klein, who bears striking resemblance to Clint Eastwood, crashes an unusual looking car into the barn of local farmer, Peabody. He flees the scene in the vehicle, knocking down a pine tree in his rush. 

Later that morning, Klein meets a local teen named George McFly in a diner, who he follows. While stalking George, Klein is hit by a car.

That evening, Klein shows up at the door of Doctor Emmett Brown and insists Ronald Regan, the actor, will be president of the United States in 1985. Klein stays with Brown, and spends the week trying to arrange a date between George and Lorraine, the daughter of the man who struck him with a car. 

On November 12, local teen Biff Tannen is visited by an old man who gives him a book which claims to contain the results of sporting events which have not yet taken place. A young man by the name of Marty McFly, who looks remarkably similar to Calvin Klein, rather haphazardly steals the book from Tannen.

While Marty is robbing Tannen, Klein performs a guitar solo at the local high school dance, having succeeded in arranging a date for George and Lorraine. He leaves abruptly, and slips a letter into the pocket of Doctor Emmett Brown which outlines how Brown will die. He drives recklessly through town during a thunderstorm while Brown performs a weather experiment from the top of the City Hall clock tower. Klein and his car vanish. 

Meanwhile, near the Lyon Estates construction site outside of town, lightning strikes a flying car, which vanishes. A courier delivers to Marty a letter that is dated 1885 and signed by Doctor Emmett Brown. Marty runs downtown and finds Brown, who has just finished his weather experiment.

Marty, with the help of Brown, finds a car in an abandoned mine by Boot Hill Cemetery. Marty finds a headstone with the name of Emmett Brown, who had died on September 7, 1885. Brown acquires a cheap looking western styled outfit. Marty jokes that he looks like Clint Eastwood, then drives recklessly through a drive in theater. Marty and his car vanish. 

Hill Valley, California, 1985, Version One

George and Lorraine McFly live in Lyon Estates. They have three children and a stagnant marriage. Biff Tannen, one of George’s coworkers, bullies him into writing reports for him and loaning him the McFly family car. Their youngest son Marty, who plays the guitar in a band with his friends and is described by the high school principal as a slacker, is looking forward to secretly taking his girlfriend Jennifer on a camping trip. When Tannen crashes the borrowed car, Marty despairs that his camping plans are ruined and he’ll be stranded at home.

Marty is awakened in the middle of the night on October 26th by a phone call from local scientist Doctor Emmett Brown. Brown insists that Marty must hurry and meet him in the parking lot of Twin Pines Mall immediately. Once there, Marty witnesses Brown being shot and killed by Libyan nationalists. Marty engages in a car chase with the terrorists, and both Marty and his car disappear.

Hill Valley, California, 1985, Version Two

Local teen Marty McFly crashes his car into a movie theater in the early morning hours of October 26th. He flees the scene, running across town to Lone Pine Mall.

In the mall parking lot, Doctor Emmett Brown survives being shot by Libyan Nationalists by wearing a bulletproof vest. He was made aware that he might be in danger by a letter he had found earlier in his coat pocket. He says farewell to a tearful Marty, drives off in his car, and vanishes. 

Marty returns to his home in Lyon Estates to find his parents, George and Lorraine, have just returned from an early morning golf outing together. They seem to have a lively marriage and to be fairly well off, thanks in part to the publication of George’s first science fiction novel. They are proud to gift Marty a new truck of his own. He takes his girlfriend Jennifer for a drive, eager to take the truck on their planned camping trip. However, Marty is pressured into racing a peer and crashes the truck, injuring his hand. 

Hill Valley, California, 1985, Version Three

Local teen Marty McFly crashes his car into a movie theater in the early morning hours of October 26th. He flees the scene, running across town to Lone Pine Mall.

In the mall parking lot, Doctor Emmett Brown survives being shot by Libyan Nationalists by wearing a bulletproof vest. He was made aware that he might be in danger by a letter he had found earlier in his coat pocket. He says farewell to a tearful Marty, drives off in his car, and vanishes. 

Marty returns to his home in Lyon Estates to find his parents, George and Lorraine, have just returned from an early morning golf outing together. They seem to have a lively marriage and to be fairly well off, thanks in part to the publication of George’s first science fiction novel. They are proud to gift Marty a new truck of his own. Marty never drives it, instead getting into a car with his girlfriend Jennifer and Doctor Emmett Brown who has appeared in their driveway. Biff Tannen, who owns a car detailing company and is servicing George’s car, witnesses Brown’s car fly away down the street before vanishing. 

Hill Valley, California, 1985, Version Four

Biff Tannen, the wealthy owner of Biff Tannen’s Pleasure Paradise Casino and Hotel, built his fortune by sports betting starting in the late 1950s. He is married to Lorraine Baines McFly. Her first husband, George, who fathered her children, was mysteriously murdered on March 15, 1973. Her youngest son, Marty McFly, has been sent to a boarding school in Switzerland. 

On October 26th, Marty returns to Hill Valley and breaks into the home of a family living in Lyon Estates before arriving at Biff’s Casino. He asks Tannen about a sports almanac, at which point Tannen attempts to shoot him. Marty escapes by jumping off the roof and onto a flying car. Once inside, Marty and the car vanish.

Hill Valley, California, 1985, Version Five

On October 27th at 11 am, Marty McFly drives a car down a train track near Eastwood Ravine. The car is struck and destroyed by a train, but Marty exits the vehicle right before the crash.

Marty returns to his home in Lyon Estates to find his parents, George and Lorraine, have just returned from an early morning golf outing together. They seem to have a lively marriage and to be fairly well off, thanks in part to the publication of George’s first science fiction novel. They are proud to gift Marty a new truck of his own. He takes his girlfriend Jennifer for a drive, eager to take the truck on their planned camping trip. During their drive, Marty declines a race with a peer and realizes he would have crashed his new truck if he had participated.

Marty and Jennifer pay a visit to the site of that morning’s train collision by Eastwood Ravine. While they examine the wreckage, a train stops at their location. The passengers of this train include Doctor Emmett Brown, his wife Clara, and their sons Jules and Verne. They gift Marty a photo of Brown and Calvin Klein which is dated September 5, 1885. The train flies away and vanishes.

Hill Valley, California, 2015, Version One

Marty McFly and his wife Jennifer live in Hilldale with their two children, Marlene and Martin Jr. Marty has given up on his music due to a hand injury sustained in his teens and now works a corporate office job. Martin Jr. is pressured by Griff Tannen to participate in a robbery, and consequently is arrested and sentenced to time in prison. Marlene attempts to break him out of jail, and ends up with prison time herself.

Doctor Emmett Brown has a vintage car retrofitted for flight. He pays a visit to Marty and learns about his children’s arrests. 

Hill Valley, California, 2015, Version Two

Marty McFly and his wife Jennifer live in Hilldale with their two children, Marlene and Martin Jr. Marty has given up on his music due to a hand injury sustained in his teens and now works a corporate office job. Martin Jr. is pressured by Griff Tannen to participate in a robbery, but Marty intervenes. Griff is arrested for vandalizing the town courthouse. Marty purchases a sports almanac.

An elderly man steals Doctor Emmett Brown’s vintage car and takes it for a joyride before returning it near the McFly home.

Hill Valley, California, 2015, Version Three

At the time of this writing, these events have not yet taken place. One hopes that Marty and Jennifer have a happy marriage, that his music career has been successful, and that his children stay out of trouble, but it is impossible to know. In the words of Doctor Emmett Brown, “Your future hasn’t been written yet. No one’s has. Your future is whatever you make it, so make it a good one.”