aka Lake CHARGOGGAGOGGMANCHAUGGAGOGGCHAUBUNAGUNGAMAUGG – Yes, You Read That Right

In the small town of Webster, located in the southern-central part of Massachusetts just north of the Connecticut border, lies Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg. No, I did not briefly fall asleep on my keyboard; you read that correctly. As overwhelming as the word is, the pronunciation is as straightforward as the spelling. Without practice or the lifetime experience of the locals, some prefer to stick with the simpler Webster Lake

Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg spoken by Josh Haley

The lake has taken many names throughout its history, dropping and adding syllables depending on the source. The same goes for the translation of the lake name, as the supposed meaning has caused confusion over time. Though many people believe, “You fish on your side, I fish on my side, and nobody fishes in the middle” to be the translation, the more accurate translation is something like “English knifemen and Nipmuc Indians at the Border or Neutral Fishing Place.”

You fish on your side, I fish on my side, and nobody fishes in the middle.

English knifemen and Nipmuc Indians at the Border.

Neutral Fishing Place.

MEANINGS OF CHARGOGGAGOGGMANCHAUGGAGOGGCHAUBUNAGUNGAMAUGG

The Webster Lake Association plays an important role every year in maintaining the health of this one-of-a-kind attraction. WLA members contribute to efforts including weed treatment, lake management, information programs, and so much more.

We are thankful they shared their knowledge and an amazing boat-day experience, so we could see the beauty of Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg for ourselves.

To learn more about the Webster Lake Association, or to learn more about visiting this fall, check out https://websterlakeassociation.org/.