American Legionnaires

It was the American Legion post here in Willits that originated the Frontier Days festivities (of the Fourth of July) to start raising money for a hospital for the community back in the mid-1920s. Dr. Raymond Babcock, who had served in WWI and was a Legionnaire, surely had the idea to begin with. It was his burden to try to treat people either up at the company owned infirmary of the Northwest Lumber Company in what is today the Brooktrails housing development, or down in town at his own home. But shortly thereafter, Charles S. Howard, the wealthy Buick distributor and owner of Ridgewood Ranch to the south, fully funded the hospital after the tragic death of his teenage son in a vehicular accident. The community fundraising continued, and soon the Legion gave over operations to an independent Frontier Days organization. But we'll see that in July.

These gentlemen had already gone to the local cemeteries to decorate the graves of veterans with American flags, and had just arrived at Recreation Grove on Sunday to enjoy the Community Festival car show sponsored by the Willits Shifters club. There were too many beauties to post, so check out the overflow of images linked here.


For more cars, click here!