Finding the Castle
The Zandy Castle was built in 1880 and underwent a major restoration in the early 2000’s. I have a page dedicated to the restoration project here. The house has a completely open floorplan on the downstairs level - something you would not see in most Victorian homes that have not undergone a renovation - and enormous closets!
The story of how I came to own this beautiful house is rather interesting. It was my mother’s birthday, a significant milestone one. My sister and I were planning a suprise party for her. Mom was under the impression that I would not be able to travel from where I live in North Carolina to Massachusetts for the occasion. Unbeknownst to her, my family was planning to be there. We rented an Airbnb in Plymouth, Ma. on the beach to make it more of a vacation. However, the host cancelled the reservation and homes in Onset/Wareham were showing up in the search results. The photos of Onset Beach looked amazing and we rented a place within walking distance of the beach.
l absolutely fell in love with the area. Even though I grew up in the southshore area of Mass, I had never been to Onset… The place we rented was underwhelming. As a frequent traveler, I like to think I have an idea of what guests want and thought ‘I can do better than this’. Especially given the apartment was rented solid for the next 4 months. Since Google tracks everything, they determined that since I was looking for rentals in Onset, I must also be looking to buy a house here! Now this little yellow Victorian house is in my feed and I cannot get it out of my mind. Around this time, I sold my house in Charlotte, NC, but had zero plans on buying a beach house at the gateway to Cape Cod. Nevertheless, I asked my family to look at the house and they gave glowing reviews. I started thinking if I could rent it for X number of days out of the year, it would enable me to stay at the house during the off season and spend extended time with my family.
I purchased the house unseen which is crazy now thinking back. Honestly, it takes me longer to read reviews on Amazon before deciding to buy a can opener. But it just felt right, there was a very positive vibe in the house, my mother told me. The history of Onset goes back to a spirtualist movement where residents created Wigwams in partnership with Native Americans. In fact, today you can visit The Wigwam Spiritualist Camp in Wareham to learn more. They are extremely welcoming to visitors and informative.
It was a busy time. I had sold my long-time house in Charlotte, NC and was moving to a temporary rental since the house sold in one day. Moved my things to the rental and that very same night had to fly to Mass to close on the Zandy Castle. A chaotic couple of days, but well worth the effort. My mother’s name is Sandy and her nickname in the family is Zandy. Since this all started with her birthday, I chose to name the house the Zandy Castle in her honor.
I love spending time here, it is truly my home away from home. There is something very special about this area. The bluer than blue skies, the crisp sea air, calm clear waters, powder beaches, and breathtaking views. I remember in the movie Field of Dreams the doctor/ballplayer said, “This is my most special place in all the world. Once a place touches you like that, the wind never blows so cold again.” I never thought I could ever feel this way about someplace but this is definitely my nirvana. The people who live here feel the same way and are very passionate about the village and its history. I hope as my guest, you discover a similar serenity as well.
Field of Dreams: Burt Lancaster and Kevin Costner.