When writer David A. Goodman, originally pitched this story, he proposed it could be set during a Medieval, Roman or Western setting. Brannon Braga, who had challenged the writing staff to come up with a 'Parallel Earth' idea like those often seen on the original Star Trek, chose the Western setting.
Exteriors of the town were shot primarily at Western Town, Universal Studios in Universal City, California.
The scene in which Archer is showing Bethany her planet from space recalls the actions of Jean-Luc Picard, who did the same for Rivan in Justice (1987), Nuria in Who Watches the Watchers (1989), and Lily in Star Trek: First Contact (1996). In all of these cases, in order to prove a point, the captain of the Enterprise shows a female native of a pre-warp culture her own planet from space.
Writer David A. Goodman's backstory for the abducted western pioneers was that they were all part of a wagon train when they were picked up by the Skagarans. This was also meant as a reference to Gene Roddenberry's original pitch for Star Trek (1966), which was "Wagon Train to the stars". Also, the bartender's ancestor who rebelled against the Skagarans, 'Cooper Smith', was the name of a character on Wagon Train (1957).
Although never mentioned on screen, the title 'North Star' was the name of the town the story took place.