West Islip, NY

Archaeological discovery of a Native American burial ground north of West Islip Beach helped historians reconstruct a Secatogue village whose residents lived beside Great South Bay and the Sampawams, Trues, and Willetts creeks. Farming and fishing were their principal occupations. European settlement began in 1683, and completion of the Long Island Rail Road in the mid-19th century brought travelers to the area. West Islip’s population was 27,048 in 2020. Sampawams Creek, Hawley’s Lake, and the Guggenheim Lakes form its natural western boundary; Great South Bay, Jones Beach Island, and Fire Island lie to the south.