History
W. N. “Billy” Fulwider, Old Dominion Postcard Club Founder
A History and Tribute by John Whiting
A History and Tribute by John Whiting
As we celebrate the thirtieth year of the Old Dominion Postcard
Club, it is an opportune time to recognize our least well known,
but perhaps, most important “Founding Father”.
Witness the fact that only one member of our club was ever
awarded a free lifetime membership. That speaks for itself and
suggests the significance of this person in the Club’s history.
W. N. “Billy” Fulwider will not be known to most of the newer or
more distant club members. He had not been active in club
affairs for several years prior to his death in December, 1987.
But, in the beginning, 1978, Billy was a catalyst, provider,
encourager, whose generosity and enthusiasm created an
atmosphere and a place for the creation of ODPCC.
As in all ventures, it takes the right ingredients to make
something happen. In 1976, Roy Cox and Bill Martin came to
Richmond, set up and sold cards at a local motel and promoted
the idea of a club through advertisements and information at the
motel. They collected names, addresses and a dollar from
people attending. The dollars were “seed money” for initial
mailings to start a club. Roy, Ben Duncan, Sylvia Regelson,
Jean Trevett, Jim Stubbins, L. E. Haynes, Ricky McMullin, myself
and others talked about the idea of a club from time-to-time after
that. But, other ingredients were necessary. It was two years
before they were forthcoming.
In 1971, Billy and Charlotte Fulwider opened an antiques and
collectibles center north of Richmond on U. S. 301. It was the
first venture in this region that pulled many dealers together
under one roof. They named it “Antique Village.” Billy’s vision
was broad and sweeping. He liked just about everything under
the wide umbrella of antiques and collectibles. He bought and
sold antique and classic cars, old tools, advertising signs, fine
furniture, glassware, tobacco tins.....just about anything old and
interesting.....including, yes, you guessed it, postcards!
While not a postcard dealer in the modern sense, Billy always
had a rack with cards in it, or a shoe box with cards, or if you
asked, he might have a stack tucked away in one of his many
“secret” drawers behind the counter in the snack bar area at
The Village.
In 1977, I went to work for Billy at Antique Village and
simultaneously opened a shop there. I quickly learned that Billy
was a serious collector of many things and his enthusiasm for
collecting carried over to his discussions with young and old
alike. He promoted collecting not primarily as a businessman
who had items to sell to collectors. He believed in hobbies; saw
them as something good. He liked people who collected old
things and encouraged everyone else to start collecting.
In 1978, Billy was fully aware of my interest in postcards–both as
a collector and dealer. When discussions about a postcard club
emerged, Billy’s mind started clicking. Antique Village could
serve the community in a new way. It could be the home base
for various collecting groups. He would provide space, open up
in the evenings and do, as he would say, “whatever was
necessary” to provide for clubs who wished to meet at Antique
Village. This would be another way in which he could contribute
to collecting and the growth of hobbies in this region. To start
the process, he would do everything he could to launch a
successful postcard club. From 1978 until early 1980 Billy did
just that.
Billy pulled out all the stops! He arranged and re-arranged
different sections of the building so that our organizational
meeting April, 1978 and then, our monthly meeting would have
plenty of space, chairs, tables, etc. He kept his camera flashing
to record the events of the first year. When some rental space
opened up in the back of the building in later summer 1978, he
held that space unrented for about four months so that we could
be certain of having space for our first annual show in
December. He donated cards for fund-raising auctions; he bid
actively at the auctions. He allowed me to use “work time” as his
employee to perform many of the duties required to get the club
off the ground–newsletters, arranging for programs and visiting
dealers, correspondence, show promotion, etc. Directly and
indirectly, Billy contributed hundred of dollars between April,
1978 and early 1980 to assure that there would be a successful
Old dominion Postcard Club. The “dollar” factor seldom crossed
his mind, was practically never mentioned and then only as a
truly worthwhile expenditure. It was good for the hobby and
good business.
When we had our first Annual show at The Village in December
1978 with 10 dealers, 17 exhibit boards and enthusiastic
collectors from far and wide, we really knew that things were
falling into place. The fact that all 10 of the dealers wanted to
return in 1979 was another indicator that things were going
right. In April 1979, when we had about thirty-five people at our
first anniversary dinner meeting in the somewhat crowded
quarters of The Village Snack Bar, Billy knew and we all knew
that his efforts and those of others had paid off. Postcard
collecting was an active organized hobby in central Virginia. The
Old Dominion Postcard Club had a nucleus of about forty
members, a comfortable atmospheric meeting place and an
organizational structure that assured its continuation and growth.
In a very large way, W. N. “Billy” Fulwider’s vision and actions
had created this reality.
(Footnote to History: In 1979, the Fulwiders sold Antique Village.
In 1980 they created a new antiques and collectibles center,
“Little Dodge City,” on U. S. 1 north of Richmond.
At the conclusion of Old Dominion Postcard Club's first year,
April 1979, there were 57 club members. Club by-laws
designated the first 25 members as Pioneers. All who were
members on the clubs' first anniversary were called Charter
Members.
How many of those Pioneers and Charter Members are still
active in the club or as non-members are
still active in the hobby?
Pioneers:
John Whiting (2)
John McClintock (10)
Sylvia Regelson (20)
Jim Morrison (22)
Charter Members:
The four Pioneer members plus
W. H. "Ham" Bryson (40)
Jim Stubbins (42)
Bob "Dr. Nostalgia" Gardner (56)
In the first years of the club each new member was given a
number as noted in parentheses above.
Club, it is an opportune time to recognize our least well known,
but perhaps, most important “Founding Father”.
Witness the fact that only one member of our club was ever
awarded a free lifetime membership. That speaks for itself and
suggests the significance of this person in the Club’s history.
W. N. “Billy” Fulwider will not be known to most of the newer or
more distant club members. He had not been active in club
affairs for several years prior to his death in December, 1987.
But, in the beginning, 1978, Billy was a catalyst, provider,
encourager, whose generosity and enthusiasm created an
atmosphere and a place for the creation of ODPCC.
As in all ventures, it takes the right ingredients to make
something happen. In 1976, Roy Cox and Bill Martin came to
Richmond, set up and sold cards at a local motel and promoted
the idea of a club through advertisements and information at the
motel. They collected names, addresses and a dollar from
people attending. The dollars were “seed money” for initial
mailings to start a club. Roy, Ben Duncan, Sylvia Regelson,
Jean Trevett, Jim Stubbins, L. E. Haynes, Ricky McMullin, myself
and others talked about the idea of a club from time-to-time after
that. But, other ingredients were necessary. It was two years
before they were forthcoming.
In 1971, Billy and Charlotte Fulwider opened an antiques and
collectibles center north of Richmond on U. S. 301. It was the
first venture in this region that pulled many dealers together
under one roof. They named it “Antique Village.” Billy’s vision
was broad and sweeping. He liked just about everything under
the wide umbrella of antiques and collectibles. He bought and
sold antique and classic cars, old tools, advertising signs, fine
furniture, glassware, tobacco tins.....just about anything old and
interesting.....including, yes, you guessed it, postcards!
While not a postcard dealer in the modern sense, Billy always
had a rack with cards in it, or a shoe box with cards, or if you
asked, he might have a stack tucked away in one of his many
“secret” drawers behind the counter in the snack bar area at
The Village.
In 1977, I went to work for Billy at Antique Village and
simultaneously opened a shop there. I quickly learned that Billy
was a serious collector of many things and his enthusiasm for
collecting carried over to his discussions with young and old
alike. He promoted collecting not primarily as a businessman
who had items to sell to collectors. He believed in hobbies; saw
them as something good. He liked people who collected old
things and encouraged everyone else to start collecting.
In 1978, Billy was fully aware of my interest in postcards–both as
a collector and dealer. When discussions about a postcard club
emerged, Billy’s mind started clicking. Antique Village could
serve the community in a new way. It could be the home base
for various collecting groups. He would provide space, open up
in the evenings and do, as he would say, “whatever was
necessary” to provide for clubs who wished to meet at Antique
Village. This would be another way in which he could contribute
to collecting and the growth of hobbies in this region. To start
the process, he would do everything he could to launch a
successful postcard club. From 1978 until early 1980 Billy did
just that.
Billy pulled out all the stops! He arranged and re-arranged
different sections of the building so that our organizational
meeting April, 1978 and then, our monthly meeting would have
plenty of space, chairs, tables, etc. He kept his camera flashing
to record the events of the first year. When some rental space
opened up in the back of the building in later summer 1978, he
held that space unrented for about four months so that we could
be certain of having space for our first annual show in
December. He donated cards for fund-raising auctions; he bid
actively at the auctions. He allowed me to use “work time” as his
employee to perform many of the duties required to get the club
off the ground–newsletters, arranging for programs and visiting
dealers, correspondence, show promotion, etc. Directly and
indirectly, Billy contributed hundred of dollars between April,
1978 and early 1980 to assure that there would be a successful
Old dominion Postcard Club. The “dollar” factor seldom crossed
his mind, was practically never mentioned and then only as a
truly worthwhile expenditure. It was good for the hobby and
good business.
When we had our first Annual show at The Village in December
1978 with 10 dealers, 17 exhibit boards and enthusiastic
collectors from far and wide, we really knew that things were
falling into place. The fact that all 10 of the dealers wanted to
return in 1979 was another indicator that things were going
right. In April 1979, when we had about thirty-five people at our
first anniversary dinner meeting in the somewhat crowded
quarters of The Village Snack Bar, Billy knew and we all knew
that his efforts and those of others had paid off. Postcard
collecting was an active organized hobby in central Virginia. The
Old Dominion Postcard Club had a nucleus of about forty
members, a comfortable atmospheric meeting place and an
organizational structure that assured its continuation and growth.
In a very large way, W. N. “Billy” Fulwider’s vision and actions
had created this reality.
(Footnote to History: In 1979, the Fulwiders sold Antique Village.
In 1980 they created a new antiques and collectibles center,
“Little Dodge City,” on U. S. 1 north of Richmond.
At the conclusion of Old Dominion Postcard Club's first year,
April 1979, there were 57 club members. Club by-laws
designated the first 25 members as Pioneers. All who were
members on the clubs' first anniversary were called Charter
Members.
How many of those Pioneers and Charter Members are still
active in the club or as non-members are
still active in the hobby?
Pioneers:
John Whiting (2)
John McClintock (10)
Sylvia Regelson (20)
Jim Morrison (22)
Charter Members:
The four Pioneer members plus
W. H. "Ham" Bryson (40)
Jim Stubbins (42)
Bob "Dr. Nostalgia" Gardner (56)
In the first years of the club each new member was given a
number as noted in parentheses above.
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
John Whiting
Pioneer Member
Pioneer Member
Sylvia Regelson
Pioneer Member
Pioneer Member
John McClintock
Pioneer Member
Pioneer Member
Jim Stubbins
Charter Member
Charter Member
"Dr. Nostalgia"
Charter Member
Charter Member
Old Dominion Postcard Club Richmond, VA