European settlement The original inhabitants of the area now known as Northport were the
Matinecocks, one of 13
Native American tribes of Long Island. The Matinecocks called this land
Opcathontyche, which meant "wading place creek". After
Dutch interest a few years earlier, the land was sold by Chief Asharoken, head of the Matinecocks, to three
Englishmen in 1656. With land that was well suited for farming, the early settlers grazed cattle on pastures around the harbor. The area soon became known as Great Cow Harbour. (The nearby hamlet of
Centerport was known as Little Cow Harbour.) The oldest house still standing in Northport, the Skidmore House on Main Street, was built in 1761. In 2009 the house was put up for sale, sparking the village to pass a historical preservation law.
Growth, change, and shipbuilding In the early 19th century, Great Cow Harbor was still a rural farming community. By the 1830s, the village contained only eight dwellings. But a new industry of
shipbuilding brought rapid change and growth. The village shifted away from its farming roots as shipbuilding became the community's primary industry. By 1837, the village was being referred to as Northport. This was an essential transportation link for the village, especially for the growing commuter population. However, just a few years later the LIRR decided to move the Northport station to a new location in Larkfield to facilitate further railway extension to
Port Jefferson. The new railway station located on Larkfield Road was opened on January 13, 1873, and retained the station name of Northport. To avoid confusion with the former station located in the village of Northport, train conductors would refer to the station in Larkfield as "East of Northport" because the station was located east of the Northport
railway junction which directed trains north to the station located in the village. Despite the fact that Larkfield was primarily
south of Northport, the area became known thereafter as
East Northport. The original rail spur to Northport was afterwards known as the
Northport Branch. After the old village station closed in 1899, Northport decided to build a
trolley line to take commuters between Main Street and the new Northport station located in Larkfield. The
new commuter trolley opened in mid-April 1902. The increasing usage of the
automobile led the trolley to make its last scheduled commuter run on August 19, 1924.
Incorporation and annexation Although it was known by the name of Northport since at least 1837, the village of Northport was not formally incorporated until 1894, Northport also annexed the formerly independent settlement of Crab Meadow (once known as Great Neck), as well as western parts of the Freshpond community .
Modern Northport By the 1920s, after nearly a century of heavy commercial use, the waterfront which had supported the community for generations had fallen into decay. The village decided to purchase the land along the harbor and created Northport Memorial Park in 1932, which is a defining feature of Northport today. The four enormous stacks are a well-known landmark that can be seen from as far away as
Connecticut across Long Island Sound. Each stack is tall. The Northport Trolley, which had ceased operations in 1924, enjoyed a popular revival in the 1970s and 1980s, transporting weekend tourists along Main Street. Unlike the original electric trolleys, this nostalgic replica was horse driven. It also ran on rubber automobile tires rather than utilizing the original rails which still remain a visible element of Main Street to this day. In July 1984, Northport garnered nationwide media attention for being the site of the gruesome murder of 17-year-old Gary Lauwers by his friend, high school dropout and alleged devil-worshiper
Ricky Kasso. The events made national headlines and have since been recounted in books and movies, which caused the village to suffer a negative reputation for reputed satanism. Every September, the village of Northport commemorates its rich history with the celebration of
Cow Harbor Day, which follows the annual
Great Cow Harbor 10K race. ==Geography==