The History of Willits Frontier Days

The featured attraction of the Willits Frontier Days Celebration is, what has been billed as, the longest-running, continuous rodeo in the State of California. Since 1927, Frontier Days has represented the continued spirit, cooperation and pride in the community of Willits by its citizens.

The Willits Development Association originally got the idea of sponsoring a community activity to raise funds for the construction of a much-needed hospital in 1926. Through the efforts of Dr. Raymond Babcock, Frank Taft, Judge E.M. Whitney, Judge Fred Foord, Deed Wimmer, Frank and Bill Whitney, C.A. Larsen, William Baechtel, Stanley Dunmire, T.J. Nunan, J.H. Keller, Joe Quadrio, Edward Morris, Carl Edenfeldt, Allen Sacry, and many more prominent citizens of the small community of Willits, the American Legion Post adopted the plan and the first Willits Frontier Days Rodeo was scheduled for July.

It was at this time that Frank R. Howard, young son of the late Charles S. Howard, owner of Ridgewood Ranch, was fatally injured in an automobile accident while vacationing at the family ranch. Dr. Babcock, who ministered to the injured boy, approached Howard about erecting a hospital in Willits in memory of his son. Howard built the Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital shortly thereafter.

Even though the original idea of having a rodeo to fund construction of a hospital was no longer necessary, the American Legion decided to carry on with their plans. The first Willits Frontier Days profits were used to benefit the community in many worthwhile ways.

The celebration was an instant success. Thereafter, the American Legion organized and orchestrated the Frontier Days activities until 1932, when the Willits Volunteer Fire Department accepted the leadership role. Looking to the future, the Fire Department borrowed money to improve the rodeo grounds by having individual volunteer firefighters sign promissory notes.