Longwood Long Ago: Yaphank
Yaphank was first called “Millville” because of the many mills that were built there. The name was changed in 1846 when the first post office opened and it was discovered that there were already 13 other Millvilles in New York State. So William J. Weeks, a prominent citizen, suggested the name “Yaphank” from the Native American word “Yamphanke”, meaning “the bank of a river”. The Carmans River, first known as the Connecticut River, passes through Yaphank. People built dams on the river, forming Upper and Lower Yaphank Lakes.