A Comprehensive History of Nest 65’s First 100 Years

A Comprehensive History Of Nest 65’s First 100 Years

By C.J. Waskowicz

On October 20, 1905, under the stimulus of Zygmunt Cybulski of Nest 36, Bridgeport, Conn., and Bronislaw Czarnecki of Nest 22, Brooklyn, N.Y., an organizational meeting was held with residents of Polish extraction of Union City, Conn., and the formation of a new Nest became a reality. Upon approval of the application for a charter by the National Headquarters, the group became Polish Falcons Nest 65.

Charter members of the organizational group were Bronislaw Czarnecki, Zygmunt Cybulski, Alexander Krzyzanski, Joseph Swiderski, Stanislaw Wisniewski, Joseph Czaplicki, Stanislaw Biernacki, Adam Staskiewicz, Alexander Chrostowski, Czeslaw Bulka, Boleslaw Jackowski and Boleslaw Zasada. They elected Stanislaw Wisniewski as their first President and Nest 65 was on its way.

The Nest took part in all the activities and competitions of District V in the early days, and numerous trophies and certificates attest to the Nest’s prowess in a number of athletic and drilling competitions.
In 1914, the society purchased a building for its clubrooms on land adjoining that of the present Falcon Hall. Gymnastic and tumbling teams were formed and trained to go onto District and National competitions.

In 1914, Druh Joseph Czaplicki represented Nest 65 at a meeting of the Polish Falcons of America in Pittsburgh to begin organizing a Polish Army to fight in Europe.

Shortly thereafter, Nest 65 sent George Kogut, Steve Biernacki, Alexander Kowaleski and Ludwig Chmielewski to Cambridge Springs, Pa., to train as leaders and instructors for the eventual conflict.

When the call for volunteers was issued, 95 percent of the Nest members joined the ranks of the Polish Army. Some of the members died in the war.

After the war, when the interest of the members seemed to be dwindling, the Nest voted to open a Polish bakery as an incentive to work together for a common cause. However, this enthusiasm was brief, and the bakery and building were eventually sold.

By 1928, when it looked as though the end of the Nest had come, the group joined with the Joseph Poniatowski Society of Uhlans, a sick and benefit society which had existed in Union City since 1893.
As the Poniatowski-Polish Falcons Nest 65, the society sponsored calisthenics programs for children 7-15 years of age. In addition, the group sponsored sports such as baseball and basketball.

During the flood of the Naugatuck River in August 1955, the Falcon Hall served as a relief shelter for those who evacuated and needed a place to stay.

On Monday, November 25, 1963, while the country mourned the death of President John F. Kennedy, the Falcon Hall which had served Nest 65 since 1928, was destroyed by fire.

John Biernacki, Nest President at the time, appointed a Building Committee, with Henry Cieslewski and Stanley Petro as co-chairmen, to plan and oversee the building of a new Falcon Hall. By the middle of 1965, the society dedicated its new building.

Today, Nest 65 is still an active part of District V and the community. Although they do not sponsor a group in calisthenics for participation in the District and National meets, they do contribute their share to these activities.

Members of the Nest have participated in the National, District and local golf tournaments and field a billiards team in the District Pool League. They have many trophies to show for their participation.

Nest 65 lists among its membership the Judge of Probate, former Mayor of Naugatuck, the former Vice President of the Polish Falcons of America, Fifth District, present and former members of the governing body of the Board of Burgesses, members of various commissions and boards of the Borough of Naugatuck, and a former member of the Connecticut State Legislature. Others give of their time and energies to their churches, charities and fraternal groups in the community.