The town we call Amawalk is incorporated into the Town of Somers, which was originally occupied by Kitchawanks, part of the Mohegan tribe, who called the land Amapaugh, meaning “fresh water fish.” This land was located in the eastern segment of an 83,000-acre tract that King William III of England granted to Stephanus Van Cortland of New York City in 1697. The part of Van Cortland Manor that ultimately became Somers and Yorktown was known as the Middle District, or Hanover . Early European settlers included tenants and freeholders from neighboring areas, among them English, Dutch, French Huguenots and Quakers. The town was named as a tribute to Captain Richard Somers, a young naval officer from New Jersey who lost his life in the Tripolitan War. Numerous historic buildings remain as outstanding examples of the 19th century environment, such as Mount Zion Church (1794) and the Wright-Reis Homestead (1867), donated to the town by Carolyn Wright Reis. The Somers Historical Society oversees these properties and makes them available for public visitation several times a year. The Society also has available for sale copies of “Somers Its People and Places” which was published to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the town of Somers . It is a handsome hardcover book that contains 304 pages, 524 pictures, illustrations, and maps. The cost is $35. Additional town of Somers and circus memorabilia are available for purchase at the Historical Society Museum including a town of Somers afghan and mini Elephant Hotel.