From a summertime spiritualist camp to the community it is today, all things Onset were on full display.

The Onset Historical Society held their inaugural event at Salerno’s Function Hall Sunday, Aug. 24. The society is being spearheaded by lifetime Onset residents Mark Maxim and Marie Strawn who combined their collection of Onset artifacts and their stories of the area.

“We just got together and realized a lot of people wanted this,” Maxim said. “We’re looking forward to getting this going.”

On display during the event were old newspaper headlines, photos and souvenirs that were over one hundred years old.

“When Onset started they sold souvenirs all over the town,” Maxim said. “They would send a picture to Germany or Austria where an artist would create a little candy dish and send it back.”

Much of the event was also focused on the founding of Onset in 1877 by a group of Boston Spiritualists looking for a place to be.

“The spiritualists bought the land from the Gibbs family who is still here in town and built camps and eventually homes,” he said. “At first it was just for the summer but eventually people started building bigger houses and then there were long term residents.”

One of Onset’s long term residents today is Peter Markow who was at the event doing research for his own project, compiling the history of Long Neck.

“I would love to join this historical society and contribute because I hope whatever I come up with will be interesting to other people,” Markow said.

Maxim added that much of Onset has changed over time. The marsh that once surrounded the area was filled in and the trolley tracks that ran through the village have been removed but if one thing has remained, it is that there is always something to do.

“The culture of the harvest moon and all that goes on in Onset has been carrying on since the early days,” he said. 

Maxim even had a photo of the first carnival in Onset which took place in 1913.

“This is where they had the aeronauts who would take a large balloon up and parachute down,” he said.

Another change Onset has seen over the years is an influx of people. With the population doubling during the summer, Maxim said he wants to share Onset’s history with all those who visit.

“What we’re trying to do is bring the heritage back from all of the history we have here,” he said. 

The next steps for the society are creating a board of directors and getting a non-profit designation. Maxim said once fully established, he hopes to host four events a year.

Maxim added he is working on a project telling the stories of the people and families who have been in Onset for generations.

For more information about Onset and the historical society, visit their website at onsethistoricalsociety.com.