Opening from On This Site - Native Long Island

Shanscomacocke (Flatlands)

Shanscomacocke is a Kings County placename at Flatlands, associated with enclosed upland, marsh, and beach land near the ocean. The name appears in the same 1664 Flatlands deed context as Hoopaninak and Macutteris. The modern marker is a general Jamaica Bay / Flatlands placement, offset slightly from related pins for map visibility. Recorded forms include Shancsomacocke and Shanscomacocke. The name is interpreted as much enclosed place, or wholly enclosed place. Why Place Names Matter “Place naming is an important means by which humans attach meaning to the physical environment, making it knowable, navigable, and ultimately a 'home' place.” — Kristina Marie Kirk, Representing the Environment: Naming Places in Te Wai Pounamu/the South Island (1999), Abstract, opening sentence