The history of the Castle, starts with Sam Jones. Samuel G Jones was born in the year 1893, on the mainland in Hyde County a native of Swan Quarter. He left home at the age of 13. (1906) and after working in coastal Carolina for a time, he settled in Virginia. In 1915, at the age of 21 he secured a job at Berkeley Machine Works and Foundry. Six years later he bought the foundry and in 1926 he bought 260 acres in Virginia and called it SaJo Farms. (“Sam Jones” shortened) It was during this time he invented a “stoker” that was a machine to feed coal into the engines of locomotives which made him his first million dollars.

He came to Ocracoke in 1939 with his first wife Mary Ruth Kelly and for Sam the island of Ocracoke was love at first sight. He lived on Howard St at first and then built several buildings around the island. He loved Colonial revival architecture and shingle construction such as what he saw in Williamsburg and eventually built the Berkeley Castle (as it was known back then). The Castle became the headquarters for most of the entertaining that Sam loved so much. A so called corporate retreat! Sam would throw huge parties which would mean filling up four dining rooms. Since Sam loved to Square Dance so he added on a ballroom in the back of the Castle (that are now the villas). If you look closely around the property, you will see pictures of Sam Jones and his friends enjoying their time here.

Sam had many “quirks” but one of his most famous ones was about his love of his horse Ikey D.  If the horse was sick he put him in the house. He would bring in the horse to stand at the piano and it was not unheard of that the horse would be allowed in the dining room, at the table. Rumors abound that if Sam was invited somewhere, and his horse was not invited, then Sam would not go! Ikey D preceded Sam in death but Sam made arrangements to bury the horse in what is now Springer’s Point, standing up so he could ride him when he himself died. He also made arrangements that he was to be buried next to his friend, Ikey D! And he is!

Sam died at the age of 84, on September 17, 1977. Sam was buried on the property he owned on Springers Point next to his horse. Springers Point changed hands until it was sold to the Conservation Trust on Ocracoke

After Sam’s death, it took many years to probate his will and in 1994 the property was sold and the development of the Inn and Villas started. That project included the inn, the villas, pool and spa. The inn changed hands a few times since then and in December 2025, new ownership took over and embarked on a renovation of the property while maintaining all of the amazing history and architecture that was such a large part of Sam Jones' legacy.
 
We thank you for taking the time to read the history of The Castle and look forward to making memories with you here.