Introduction

Onset Island is located in the area of Massachusetts called Cape Cod. The 12 acre island sits in Onset Bay, off the village of Onset, Ma. In the year 2010, fifty plus summer cottages are now located on the island. I will attempt to introduce you to a unique world only known to a small subset of the population - Onset Islanders.

Onset Village

Whether you call it Onset Village, Onset Ma, Pine Point, Old Pine, Onkowam, or Pine Neck, Onset Village is rich in history. Onset really started to flourish in 1848 when trains arrived from Boston to carry industrial goods to market, and thus introducing Bostonians to Onset. Cottages were built, hotels constructed; and as the tourist population grew, the tourists arrived daily by train, sailboat, and steamers. Onset was once a major terminus for the old side wheeler steamboat ferries. The route included New Bedford, Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. Onset Village was known as Pine Point, bought by the Spiritualists in the late 1800's. It was not until they named their Association the Onset Bay Grove Association that Pine Point begins to be thought of as Onset.

History of Onset Island

The name Onset is said to mean "landing place" Onset Island had its name in pre-revolutionary times. Before the white man came, Indians use the island during the summer as a place to harvest shell fish. The earth around a number of cottages is blackened by several feet of deposits of shells. In the early 1880's until the memorable storm of 1815, as told in a book titled "Early Life in Buzzards Bay", Squire Fearing of Wareham would grow and harvest corn on an island in Agawam (Onset Island).

During most of the 1800's the island was used as oyster grants and ownership was transferred several times. In the late 1880's the island was sold to Blanchard, Blanchard, and Johnson of Brockton, who divided it into 124 house lots. The map drawn by C.G. Humphrey, civil engineer and a pamphlet describing the island were given to prospective buyers.

Eleven Cottages of the early 1900's

In 1907, when the Bassett family arrived to buy a house owned by the Andrews family, they found 11 cottages and 3 boathouses. Miriam Bassett recalls arriving with her father, William and mother, Mary and sisters, Inez & Helen. Starting on the south-west corner, the first of the eleven cottages was owned by Charles Perkins (the oldest cottage) on the site of Nana Browne's cottage. Next, back from the water was John Baldwin's house (the oldest standing house, Williams Caunt's in the 1970's, the John F cottage now). Next was Orville Raymond's cottage, now an empty lot between Richards and Dennison's. Going to the east of the Perkins, back one lot from the sea wall, was another Victorian house owned by Charles Perkins, later by Ed Fanning, now the site of the Barber cottage. Farther north-east along the wall was the house of Clarence Puffer, once the site of the Wiggin and F Johnsons cottage, now only the Johnsons cottage stands. Next along the wall was the Rankin cottage, now the site of the Cheimets' cottage. The Rankin cottage, now the Ventura's cottage, sits on a new site. Next was the Andrews cottage, which the Bassett family purchased. On the corner was the Edward Haywood house. Turning the corner on what is an empty lot next to the Alder cottage was the boathouse of the Whittemore Estate. Next to that (another empty lot) was the Charles Perkins boathouse. These boathouses were not small. Back between the Ventura's and Alder's cottages was a boathouse owned by the Rankin and later by Roy Haywood. Continuing along was empty beach until the twin houses of the Whittemore Estates, built for their help, now the Daynes and DeRosiers. That's what the island was like in the early 1900's.

Stella Landers tells us that in the 1921 or 1922 her father tore down the Whittemore boathouse and built their first cottage. In the 1938 Hurricane, it floated away and landed on the mainland in the Parkhurst boatyard. He cut it up and rebuilt. The Landers sold that cottage to the Woodwards in 1944 and their cottage floated to the mainland in the 1954 hurricane.

1938 and 1954 Hurricanes

Many cottages were moved or destroyed in the 1938 and 1954 hurricanes. I will cover these in a little more detail at another time.

Social Activities

In the 1920's and 1930's the population of the island grows. Social activities have always played a large roll in making the island such an enjoyable place. The island had its own, very active, Social Activities Committee. In the 1930's, talent shows were held in the Bete's cottage, with a large piano & recital hall and bingo was held in the big Hayward cottage. The 1938 hurricane destroyed the piano & recital hall in the Bete's cottage, the Hayward cottage, and the well kept tennis courts.

The Social Committee was quiet following the 1938 hurricane during the 1940's. But in the 1950's & 1960's a new generation of Islanders joined the group. This time was filled with Bazaars, scavenger hunts, treasure hunts, Bridge & Whist parties, and the popular Pot Luck Dinners & Field Days. One summer, the teenagers even had a penny sale to raise money for playground equipment.

The 4th of July, with the flares lining Onset beach and Onset Island and the Fireworks has been a memorable summer event for a long time.