Konkhunganik

Introduction

Fort Pond in Montauk was once called Konkhunganik by the Montaukett Indians before and during the 1800s at its southern half and Quanuntowunk for its north shore.

This site along the south eastern shore was occupied seasonally during the Late Woodland Period (1,200 – 350 years ago) as a recurring base camp for nomadic hunter-gatherers and their extended families.

As early as 1661, the place name Konkhunganik was recorded from Montauketts during the creation of a land deed. The translation of Konkhunganik is currently unknown, but early 20th centruy anthropologist William Wallace Tooker believed the name translates to “at the boundary.”

Artifacts

Among the archaeological artifacts and features found were hearths, shell middens, an oven pit, pipe bowl fragments, and pottery sherds.

A total of 475 pottery sherds were recovered resebling the Windsor Brushed and Clearview Stamped design. These are of the local Windsor tradition from eastern Long Island or southern New England, but sometimes Sebonac or Windsor Cordmarked.

Translation

Konkhunganik is the name of the southern part of Fort Pond, Montauk, East Hampton town, generally applied by historians to the whole part. First noted in the Indian deed of 1661, viz.: “All the piece or neck of land belonging to Montauk land western to a fresh pond in a beach, the name of the pond being Quanuntowunk on the north  and Konkhunganik on the south,” (Hedge’s Address, 1849). ¹

1. William Wallace Tooker, Indian Place Names of Long Island, 1911 pp 84[↩]