NRHP Reference # 74001308 Area 10 ha | Designated NHL January 20, 1999 Added to NRHP 18 January 1974 | |
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Location Cutchogue, Town of Southold, NY | ||
Fort Corchaug Archeological Site is an archaeological site showing evidence of 17th century contact between Native Americans and Europeans. Fort Corchaug itself was a log fort built by Native Americans. It may have been to protect the Corchaug tribe from other Indians, built with the help of Europeans. Ralph Solecki, a prominent American archaeologist, grew up nearby and conducted several digs on site.
It remains today one of the few undisturbed Indian Fort archaeological sites in the North East. and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1999.
The Corchaug tribe, also known as the Montaukett, originally had the land from the Nassau border to Montauk point. Depradation by the Narragansetts of Connecticut and decimation from smallpox caused to tribe to leave their land in the South fork and with the help of whites built forts to ward off attacks. Another fort still being excavated is Fort Hill in Montauk Point, described as "one of the earliest and best for its time", it was placed on a 1658 map of Long Island.