Opening from On This Site - Native Long Island

Wamponamon (Montauk Point)

Wamponamon is the extreme eastern end of Long Island at Montauk Point, where the lighthouse stands. The name appears in Montauk land records for the Hither Woods tract. Dated references appear in the historic moments below. Recorded forms include Wamponamon, Wompenanit, Wompenoonot, and Wamponomon. The name is interpreted as at the east or to the east, though a later source gives a different interpretation, so the meaning remains uncertain. Why Place Names Matter “Through these names, Indigenous knowledge about places, seasons, plants, animals, lore, spirituality and culture was held and transferred across generations.” — Queensland Government, Indigenous languages and their relevance to place naming (n.d.), opening text