Opening from On This Site - Native Long Island

Towapionke (John Wood's Neck)

Towapionke is a tract east of Mastic Neck in Brookhaven, later known as John Wood's Neck. The name appears in a December 20, 1693 deed from William Smith to John Wood. The map placement is a general placement east of Mastic Neck, not the exact tract boundary. Towapionke is interpreted as a wading place where there is sitting down before crossing, connecting the name with roots for wading, sitting, and place. Why Place Names Matter “Working to expand the knowledge of Indigenous place names helps contribute to the larger effort to recognize and reconcile the past.” — Natural Resources Canada, Stories From the Land: Indigenous place names in Canada (2022), article body