Norwottuck is the
Algonquian name for an area that is now
Northampton and
Hadley,
Massachusetts
Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...
. It is also used to refer to the Algonquian people who once lived there, who were part of the
Pocumtuck Confederacy. Early English documents also refer to the area and people by the orthographic variants Nonotuck and Nolwotogg, the latter being the best representation of the local dialect.
Villages associated with the Norwottuck
White (1903)
claims that the territory of the Norwottuck extended "from the 'Great Falls' at South Hadley to
Mt Sugarloaf.
Interactions with European Colonists
Colonists cite a deed of land signed by three Norwottucks: Umpanchla alias Womscom, Quonquont alias Wompshaw, and Chickwalopp alias Wowahillowa in selling land to John Pynchon (son of
William Pynchon
William Pynchon (October 11, 1590 – October 29, 1662) was an English colonist and fur trader in North America best known as the founder of Springfield, Massachusetts, USA. He was also a colonial treasurer, original patentee of the Massac ...
).
Although the Norwottuck may have resided in the area until around 1700, their presence often went unrecorded.
Toponymy
Many local geographical and other features are named for the Norwottuck. The name
Mount Norwottuck
Mount Norwottuck or Mount Norwottock, above sea level, is the highest peak of the Holyoke Range of traprock mountains located in the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts and part of the greater Metacomet Ridge which stretches from Long Is ...
was given to a mountain previously known as Hilliard Knob in 1841 by
Edward Hitchcock. The
Norwottuck Rail Trail
The Norwottuck Branch Rail Trail, formerly the Norwottuck Rail Trail, is an combination bicycle/pedestrian paved rail trail running from Northampton, Massachusetts, through Hadley and Amherst, to Belchertown, Massachusetts. It opened in 1992, a ...
is likewise named after the people.
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References
{{Reflist
Native American history of Massachusetts
Indigenous culture of the Northeastern Woodlands