The Museum of Art & History at the McPherson Center

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Witwicki Family Collection

Accession #: 1996.27

Linear Feet: 1.25

Date Range: estimated 1890s-1940s

Content Notes:

Includes photographs, military documents

Kazimir Mikolaj Alojzy Witwicki (1888-1948) served in two armies through two world wars and lived on three continents before settling in Santa Cruz in the late 1940′s. Kazimir, who was born in Kiev, Russia (now Ukraine), but considered himself and his family to be Polish, served three years in the Russian Army before immigrating to the US in 1913. In 1917 he enlisted in the US Army and continued to serve after the war as a Sergeant in the Air Force. Over the next 26 years Kazimir was stationed in the Phillipines, Panama, Langley Field in Virginia, and March Field in California. In 1923 He married Ruth Roberts (1896 – 1975) of West Newbury, Massachusetts. Kazimir retired in 1945 and he and Ruth moved to Santa Cruz in 1947, where they lived at 451 May Avenue and became members of the Santa Cruz post of the American Legion. Kazimir died shortly thereafter on March 15, 1948. Ruth remained in Santa Cruz for the next 30 years. Kazimir and Ruth are both buried at the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno. Items in this collection represent Kazimir’s military career and personal family history.

Finding Aid: No finding aid; unprocessed

A research file on the Witwicki family is available in the archive

Repository:
The Museum of Art & History
705 Front Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95062
(831) 429-1964 ext. 17