Lake Chaubunagungamaug
Encyclopedia
Lake Chaubunagungamaug, also known as Webster Lake, is a lake in the town
of Webster, Massachusetts
, United States. It is located near the Connecticut
border and has a surface area of 1442 acres (5.8 km²).
, and is said to mean, "Fishing Place at the Boundaries -- Neutral Meeting Grounds". This is different from the humorous translation, "You fish on your side, I fish on my side, and nobody fish in the middle", given by the late Laurence J. Daly, a Worcester newspaper correspondent.
Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg (/ˌleɪk tʃəˈɡɒɡəɡɒɡ ˌmænˈtʃɔːɡəɡɒɡ tʃəˌbʌnəˈɡʌŋɡəmɔːɡ/),
a 45-letter alternative name for this body of fresh water, is often cited as the longest place name in the United States and one of the longest in the world. It is spelled incorrectly on the sign bordering Connecticut.
Today, "Webster Lake" may be the name most used, but some (including many residents of Webster), take pride in reeling off the longer versions.
This lake has several alternative names. Lake Chaubunagungamaug is the name of the lake as recognized by the U.S. Department of the Interior, however, many area residents, as well as the official website of the town of Webster, consider the longer version correct.
Algonquian
-speaking peoples had several different names for the lake as recorded on old maps and historical records. However, all of these were similar in part and had almost the same translation. Among other early names were "Chabanaguncamogue" and "Chaubanagogum". Early town records show the name as "Chabunagungamaug Pond", also the name of the local Nipmuc town (recorded in 1668 and 1674 with somewhat different spellings). This has been translated as 'boundary fishing place', but something close to "fishing place at the boundary" or "that which is a divided island lake" may be more accurate.
A map of 1795, showing the town of Dudley
, indicated the name as "Chargoggaggoggmancogmanhoggagogg". A survey of the lake done in 1830 lists the name as "Chaubunagungmamgnamaugg", the older name. The following year, both Dudley and Oxford
, which adjoined the lake, filed maps listing the name as "Chargoggagoggmanchoggagogg".
"Manchaug" is derived from the "Monuhchogogoks", a group of Nipmuck that lived by the lakeshore. Spellings of the long name vary, even on official signs near the lake; in 2009, following six years of press reports, the local Chamber of Commerce agreed to have the spelling corrected on its signs, where a 45-letter version of the name arrayed in a semicircle was used. It did not correspond to any of the two dozen variants in the GNIS. Webster school
s use one long form of the name in various capacities.
Three songs about the lake's name have been written. The first was a regional song from the 1930s. The second was recorded by Ethel Merman
and Ray Bolger
and released in 1954 by Decca
and incorporates the tale about the lake's name according to Daly. The most recent was released in 2010 by Diane Taraz.
In the 1950s, a plan to shorten the official name of the lake inspired a poem of doggerel
verse which concludes:
Although the lake is natural in origin, its outlet has a dam that raises the water level by a few feet. The dam is owned by Cranston Print Works, which controls the water level.
The lake is commonly divided into three smaller bodies of water: North Pond, Middle Pond, and South Pond. They are connected by narrow channels.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
of Webster, Massachusetts
Webster, Massachusetts
-Media:* Worcester Telegram & Gazette * Webster Times, published every Friday* The Patriot, published every Wednesday* WGFP-AM 940, a country music station* Boston Globe* Boston Herald-Library:...
, United States. It is located near the Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
border and has a surface area of 1442 acres (5.8 km²).
Name
The lake's name comes from Nipmuc, an Algonquian languageAlgonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
, and is said to mean, "Fishing Place at the Boundaries -- Neutral Meeting Grounds". This is different from the humorous translation, "You fish on your side, I fish on my side, and nobody fish in the middle", given by the late Laurence J. Daly, a Worcester newspaper correspondent.
Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg (/ˌleɪk tʃəˈɡɒɡəɡɒɡ ˌmænˈtʃɔːɡəɡɒɡ tʃəˌbʌnəˈɡʌŋɡəmɔːɡ/),
a 45-letter alternative name for this body of fresh water, is often cited as the longest place name in the United States and one of the longest in the world. It is spelled incorrectly on the sign bordering Connecticut.
Today, "Webster Lake" may be the name most used, but some (including many residents of Webster), take pride in reeling off the longer versions.
This lake has several alternative names. Lake Chaubunagungamaug is the name of the lake as recognized by the U.S. Department of the Interior, however, many area residents, as well as the official website of the town of Webster, consider the longer version correct.
Algonquian
Algonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
-speaking peoples had several different names for the lake as recorded on old maps and historical records. However, all of these were similar in part and had almost the same translation. Among other early names were "Chabanaguncamogue" and "Chaubanagogum". Early town records show the name as "Chabunagungamaug Pond", also the name of the local Nipmuc town (recorded in 1668 and 1674 with somewhat different spellings). This has been translated as 'boundary fishing place', but something close to "fishing place at the boundary" or "that which is a divided island lake" may be more accurate.
A map of 1795, showing the town of Dudley
Dudley, Massachusetts
Dudley is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,390 at the 2010 census.-History:Dudley was first settled in 1714 and was officially incorporated in 1732...
, indicated the name as "Chargoggaggoggmancogmanhoggagogg". A survey of the lake done in 1830 lists the name as "Chaubunagungmamgnamaugg", the older name. The following year, both Dudley and Oxford
Oxford, Massachusetts
Oxford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,709 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Oxford, please see the article Oxford , Massachusetts.-History:...
, which adjoined the lake, filed maps listing the name as "Chargoggagoggmanchoggagogg".
"Manchaug" is derived from the "Monuhchogogoks", a group of Nipmuck that lived by the lakeshore. Spellings of the long name vary, even on official signs near the lake; in 2009, following six years of press reports, the local Chamber of Commerce agreed to have the spelling corrected on its signs, where a 45-letter version of the name arrayed in a semicircle was used. It did not correspond to any of the two dozen variants in the GNIS. Webster school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
s use one long form of the name in various capacities.
Three songs about the lake's name have been written. The first was a regional song from the 1930s. The second was recorded by Ethel Merman
Ethel Merman
Ethel Merman was an American actress and singer. Known primarily for her powerful voice and roles in musical theatre, she has been called "the undisputed First Lady of the musical comedy stage." Among the many standards introduced by Merman in Broadway musicals are "I Got Rhythm", "Everything's...
and Ray Bolger
Ray Bolger
Raymond Wallace "Ray" Bolger was an American entertainer of stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of the Scarecrow and Kansas farmworker Hank in The Wizard of Oz.-Early life:...
and released in 1954 by Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
and incorporates the tale about the lake's name according to Daly. The most recent was released in 2010 by Diane Taraz.
Doggerel
Doggerel is a derogatory term for verse considered of little literary value. The word probably derived from dog, suggesting either ugliness, puppyish clumsiness, or unpalatability in the 1630s.-Variants:...
verse which concludes:
"Touch not a g!" No impious hand
Shall wrest one from that noble name
Fifteen in all their glory stand
And ever shall the same.
For never shall that number down,
Tho Gogg and MagoggGog and MagogGog and Magog are names that appear primarily in various Jewish, Christian and Muslim scriptures, as well as numerous subsequent references in other works. Their context can be either genealogical or eschatological and apocalyptic, as in Ezekiel and Revelation...
shout and thunder;
Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg's renown
Shall blaze, the beacon of the town,
While nations gaze and wonder.
Geography
Webster Lake is a 1442 acres (5.8 km²) lake with a 17 miles (27.4 km) shoreline in southern Massachusetts, near the Connecticut border. The lake is spring-fed, making it the second largest natural lake in the state. The largest is Long Pond in Lakeville, MA at 1721 acres (7 km²), according to the Massachusetts Department of Wildlife. The average depth is 13 feet (4 m) and the maximum depth is 45 feet (13.7 m).Although the lake is natural in origin, its outlet has a dam that raises the water level by a few feet. The dam is owned by Cranston Print Works, which controls the water level.
The lake is commonly divided into three smaller bodies of water: North Pond, Middle Pond, and South Pond. They are connected by narrow channels.
Islands
Webster lake has about 7-8 islands. Some have houses and are habitable; a few are extremely small and uninhabitable. They include:- Long Island: The largest island in Webster Lake. It has many homes and has electric power lines, underground/underwater municipal water and sewer service, and several fire hydrants. It is in the Middle Pond.
- Goat Island: The second largest island. It has a few homes and boats. It is in the Middle Pond but isolated from the cluster of islands that include Long Island.
- Well Island: A smaller island with one house west of Long Island in the Middle Pond.
- Strip Island: Generally northeast of Long Island and north of Cobble Island with one house, also in the Middle Pond.
- Cobble Island: East of Long Island, in the Middle Pond.
- Little Island: In South Pond, right out of the no wake zone from the Middle Pond, one house.
Marinas
Webster lake has two marinas:- Lakeview Marine: The only full service marine store and service shop on Webster Lake. They feature new and used boat sales, parts and accessories, and a full-service maintenance and repair shop. Major lines carried include: Bennington, Yamaha, Larson, OMC parts, Volvo Penta.
- Point Breeze: A restaurant with a small marina. Point Breeze Marina has the only dockside gas pump on the lake.
Restaurants
Webster Lake has two waterfront restaurants open to the public:- Waterfront Mary's is on the Middle Pond, near the narrows that lead to the North Pond. Customers can beach their personal water crafts or dock their boats; the restaurant has food, drinks, and a patio with great views of the largest section of the lake.
- Point Breeze Restaurant is on the Middle Pond, next to Point Breeze Marina. Customers can dock pontoon boats and take a staircase to the restaurant. They have occasional live music and hold wedding functions.
See also
- Longest word in EnglishLongest word in EnglishThe identity of the longest word in English depends upon the definition of what constitutes a word in the English language, as well as how length should be compared...
- Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, the longest place name in the UK
- Longest wordsLongest wordsThe longest word in any given language depends on the word formation rules of each specific language, and on the types of words allowed for consideration. Agglutinative languages allow for the creation of long words via compounding. Even non-agglutinative languages may allow word formation of...
