Dixon Historical Society Museum at 125 W. A St. has one of the original Milk Farm restaurant signs from the iconic I-80 eatery. Photo courtesy of the Dixon Historical Society

DIXON, CA (MPG) - Frank McKinney always liked history.

As a child, the new curator of the Dixon Historical Society Museum did not know how his love of the past could play out in the career field while attending Iowa State University. Although his major was forestry, McKinney realized he took more history classes than forestry ones.

“So, I ended up majoring in history and receiving a B.S. in history,” McKinney said, adding he remained “clueless” on how to earn money from his knowledge. “A friend told me about job openings at Historic Fort Snelling in St. Paul, Minnesota, and I was able to get a job there and finally had my foot in the door.”

After attending several museum management graduate programs and receiving his master’s in history from Western Illinois University, McKinney enjoyed his career until 2004, when he began a horseshoeing business.

“I did that because I didn't want to move the kids around for higher jobs around the country and I had learned a good deal about blacksmithing while at Fort Snelling,” McKinney said of the business he sold in 2022 when his family moved to California.

Now a part-time blacksmith shop manager in Coloma for state parks, McKinney spends the other time at the museum.

“My hope is that people will look at history by studying and reading about it, learn from what they have read and then apply those lessons to make decisions about the future,” McKinney said. “Unfortunately, that does not happen in most cases but I still have hopes.”

Only some Dixon residents can remember dining at the old-school restaurant. Photo courtesy of the Dixon Historical Society

Historical Society President Kim Schroeder-Evans hopes that “history helps us to learn from the past and make better decisions going forward.”

“Having a local historical society is important in order to preserve and protect local history for future generations,” Schroeder-Evans said. 

The Dixon Historical Society works hard to keep the past available to the public.

Residents and visitors can flip through decade-old yearbooks, watch a city walking tour on video or read up on Dixon's divine buildings, including the First Baptist Church and St. Peters Catholic Church, all on the society website, which features other historic places and events.

The Dixon May Fair Parade, one of California's longest-running parades, began in 1875 and reveals the 1960 Rainbow Girls float in 1960. The girls were taught leadership training through community service, confidence and citizenship, and they wore a rainbow of colors to project beliefs, including love, religion, service and patriotism.

Relics, including an original Milk Farm restaurant sign from the iconic 1-80 eatery, are at 125 W. A St. Museum, where you can also purchase some of the iconic brand swag and tour ongoing exhibits.

“My vision is to make the Dixon Historical Society a successful historic preservation and education agency,” McKinney said, adding he brings much to the table. “I have lots of experience in grant writing and fundraising, and I've managed volunteer programs.”

McKinney is already thinking big, noting his ultimate goal, with the "board focus and strategic planning," to have Dixon's site accredited by the American Alliance for Museums.

“I'd like to say that I'm very excited to help the DHS create a top-notch community resource that will last well into the future and preserve many of the things that mark Dixon's past,” McKinney said.

The Dixon Historical Society sells Milk Farm swag, which can be seen here, along with sweatshirts, mugs and more. Photo courtesy of the Dixon Historical Society

Between the new curator's vision and Schroeder-Evans's passion, Dixon's past has a bright future.

“My passion for language, culture, and history made me want to explore Dixon's history at a deeper level,” the society president said. “I have always wanted to understand who was here before my family arrived.”

Schroeder-Evans said that questions concerning how they lived, what was important to them and what languages they spoke inspired her to know more.

“Why did my family and so many other immigrant families choose to settle in this area?” Schroeder-Evans said. “My passion has also been to learn about, embrace and share all of the various cultural groups who have contributed to the land over the decades.”

Both the curator and the society president encourage residents' involvement.

“The multiple projects, research, presentations, school visits, walking tours, living histories, interpretive histories and historical plays have been informative and fun,” Schroeder-Evans said. “Our museum is a beautiful place to be.”

There is free admission to the museum, which also accepts donations and welcomes relics on loan.

“We currently have a strong group of volunteers with a variety of talents and we are always looking for more people who bring new skills, ideas and perspectives to our group,” Schroeder-Evans said. “We welcome those who love history, enjoy greeting the public and who wish to learn more about California and local history.”

For more information, visit www.dixonhistoricalsociety.org.