The Pulaski Club of Williamsburg recently donated a watercolor by John Zakharov and other records of the club to the Williamsburg Historic Records Association (WHRA). The donated materials will be housed in Swem Library’s Special Collections Research Center, which serves as the official repository for WHRA materials.
The painting depicts the Cole Shop on Duke of Gloucester Street, the former meeting place of the Pulaski Club. It originally belonged to Robert Kyger, a member of the club in the 1920’s and 1930’s and passed onto his nephew, Willard Gilley, a longtime resident and native of Williamsburg.
"This watercolor captures a scene from by-gone Williamsburg -- preserving the past is something that Special Collections in Swem Library is committed to doing," said Jay Gaidmore, director of Swem Library's Special Collections Research Center. "We are pleased to partner with the Williamsburg Historic Records Association and the Pulaski Club to document and preserve the history of Williamsburg and the surrounding counties. It is with partnerships such as this that our documentation of the Williamsburg community continues to grow."
Reputedly the oldest social club in the United States, the Pulaski Club of Williamsburg was established in 1779 to commemorate the life of Count Casimir Pulaski, who was mortally wounded during the American Revolution at the Battle of Savannah on October 19, 1779 and died two days later.
Membership in the club is restricted to 34 members, representing each year of the Count’s life. The Club meets weekly on the Duke of Gloucester Street to tell stories about Williamsburg’s bygone history.
The Williamsburg Historic Records Association was established in 1984 to collect and preserve historical materials relating to Williamsburg, James City County and York County from the 19th and 20th centuries.
The watercolor and records are additions to previous donations of historic materials made by the Pulaski Club. More information on these materials can be found in the Special Collections Database.