July 2, 2019 — Frontier Days festitivities are kicking off in Willits this week, with the rodeo, parade, and fundraising that’s been a tradition since 1926, when the American Legion started raising money to build a local hospital. Last weekend, the county museum, which recently acquired a large private collection, opened an exhibit devoted to Frontier Days memorabilia, including black and white photographs of yesteryear’s Sweethearts, a nostalgic Black Bart whiskey bottle, and a trophy with Frank R Howard’s name on it that somehow ended up in Carson City, Nevada. After the ribbon cutting, KZYX went through the exhibit with the collector, Dusty Whitney. He said he’s glad to retire from treasure hunting, even though he’s never disappointed.
Whitney’s collection, called “Frontier Days: A Collector’s Journey” will be on display through October 20. It is an expansion of his collection of Mendocino County artifacts that debuted on April 6.