South Side Signal (Babylon)
Jan 22 1876
West Yaphank Record
Why "the forefathers of the hamlet" should have called their little settlement, lying between Sweezy's Mills and Coram, by the name of Coram Hills, has been a mystery to many of the present generation. Most of the land is level as an Illinois prairie, and we can't see why it should be called "Hills." But the roughness in the western part of the neighborhood passed for hills, with people born and brought up on level land. Perhaps it was Coram never had many hills of its own that the name of Coram Hills was
given by the first settlers, who probably came from Coram. Be that as it may, the present dwellers of these dates consider West Yaphank more appropriate and call it by the name, but some of our neighbors in Coram and Middle Island still insist that we live at the Hills. We don't like a name
that gives a false impression to strangers, but if the one who have chosen does not suit them, we might change it to Harmony, Brotherly Love, Amity or something else of like import, to denote the kind of feeling that prevails here.
West Yaphank is situated on land so high that Fire Island light can be plainly seen on clear nights. The South Bay is also in sight from some points. The principal disadvantage of our exalted position is that we must use cistern water instead of well water. The advantages are pure air, cool breezes in summer, exemption from late frosts in spring, and early ones in the fall, and an excellent place for fruit raising. Little, however, has been raised for market till recently. Mr. I.G./ Carter, in the Spring of ' 68 set out 90 grape vines. In '70 he sent out 250 more. He sold seven bushels, 45 bushels in "74 and about 50 last fall, besides using them freely in a large family, and giving away freely. Mr. Carter's vines bear
well every year, so they pay best when crops are poor elsewhere.
Mr. I./D. Randall has brought land of Mr. Hiram Overton, near the school house, and set out a pear orchard. In the spring he expects to set out 1,000 Concord grape vines. Fruit raising for market is just beginning here. We expect that this will be the "vineland" of Long Island and that New England will furnish a market for all the fruit we can spare, unless we conclude to sell nearer home.