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Official Preservation: Town of Oyster Bay Purchases Fort Neck
Official Preservation: Town of Oyster Bay Purchases Fort Neck
(1953 & 1958)🗺️
(1953 & 1958)🗺️
The Town of Oyster Bay (TOBAY) ultimately stepped in to ensure the site's permanent protection.
TOBAY Purchase: The Town of Oyster Bay officially agreed to purchase the Fort Neck land from developers in 1953, finalizing the acquisition in 1958 to establish it as a permanent park and historical site.
Accurate History: While an initial sign incorrectly mentioned an "Indian defeat," the current marker provides a more accurate historical context, noting the Native American fort and Sachem Tackapausha’s land sale.
Original Fort Neck Sign in the 1970s
Original Fort Neck Sign in the 1970s
This original sign touts the spot as a "historical place", but makes no mention of the presence of Fort Massapeag, but rather the Underhill battle fable of overpowering Indians at this spot. The uncovering of human remains near Fort Massapeag in the 1930s contributed to the 19th century story of a Massapequa Massacre. The story was first told by Samuel Jones to the NY Historical Society claiming Captain John Underhill and his soldiers, working under Dutch orders, massacred over 100 Native Americans at Fort Massapeag in 1653. This claim is highly disputed by contemporary scholars and investigators. Image courtesy of The Queens Borough Public Library, Archives, Ralph Solecki Photographs.
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