The City of Willows is marking its 140th anniversary this week with a public celebration planned for Friday at the Willows Civic Center. City officials say the event will serve as a birthday celebration for the city, which was founded on January 16th 1886. The event will include historical photos and information highlighting Willows’ past, along with displays showing how the city has developed over time. A champagne toast is scheduled for 7PM on Friday. The celebration is free and open to the public. The city’s name, “Willows,” comes from a water hole surrounded by Willow Trees that served as a key rest stop for pioneers crossing the plains in the mid-1800s.