The History
A comprehensive history of Onset will be described in detail beginning in 1877. The early years are best described chronologically as to the building and improvements to the Onset Bay Grove Association.
The OHS will be asking local historians and/or presenters material for each topic. Please contact the OHS to add new topics or elect to add contact to a topic already present.
Societies / Associations
Onset Women’s Club
Onset Library Association.
The People
The people who were influencers and leaders of the times.
- Native American Indians
- Benjamin Fearing Gibbs– Wareham Selectman and Onset Bay Grove Officer
- Henry S. Williams – Spiritualist and Onset Bay Grove Officer
- H.B. Storer – Spiritualist and Onset Bay Grove Officer
- Nelson Huckins – Glen Cove Owner
- Thomas Bartlett Griffith – Spiritualist and Onset Bay Grove Officer as well as held Railroad interests in Onset. Research done by Mark Maxim – Onset Biography Coming Soon
- William F. Nye – Onset Bay Grove Officer, Railroad Entrepreneur, large stockholder of association.
- George Kashimura – Onset Businessman and Onset Beach Swim Classes as the first Salt-Water Swimming school. Research done by Marie Strawn
- The Hammonds – Wareham/Onset family.
- Frank Harrison – local merchant and one of the first OFD Fire Chiefs
- The Washburns – Wareham/Onset family.
- The Cape Verdeans
- Cpt. Alden Besse
Rail Travel
The primary way to travel to Onset was using the railways. The story in local railway has been a fairly well-written history and it will be presented here.
The Railroads
Boating
Buzzards Bay provided a thriving Sailing and Boating experience as well as the way many people came to be in Onset.
Fishing
Onset Water Department
Onset Fire Department
Cape Verdean Migration
Topography
The topography of Onset was in a perpetual state of change, particularly in the early years of the association improvements and property buying.
Habitat
The change of habitat in Onset is described according to literary subject matter, newspaper articles of the time, and personal accounts of the land and marine environment and the changes thereof.