Officials have agreed to correct spelling errors in road signs pointing to a central Massachusetts lake with a 45-letter name. Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg (wiki) in Webster has one of the world's longest place names. It's been spelled many different ways over the years. Some locals have given up and simply call it Lake Webster.
But after researching historical spelling combinations, the Telegram & Gazette of Worcester said local Chamber of Commerce officials agreed that some signs were wrong. There was an "o" at letter 20 where a "u" should have been, and an "h" at letter 38 where an "n" should go.
There are many stories and legends about the origin of the Indian name. One popular myth -- later debunked -- holds that the name translates roughly to "You fish on your side, I fish on my side, and nobody fish in the middle." Debunked or not, it's my new mantra. Successfully replacing the long standing "Every where you go, there you are."
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Comments (10)
wtf???????? i cant even get... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Frankie | April 30, 2009 6:30 PM | Score: -1 (5 votes cast)
wtf???????? i cant even get passed the first little bit XD
1. Posted by Frankie | April 30, 2009 6:30 PM |
Score: -1 (5 votes cast)
Posted on April 30, 2009 18:30
2. Posted by Rachel | April 30, 2009 10:40 PM | Score: 5 (9 votes cast)
I grew up in that town-we called it Webster Lake or just "the lake", not Lake Webster. As kids we prided ourselves on being able to pronounce the full name. It's pretty big; a great lake for boating, water skiing, tubing, and jet-skiing. Ah, the memories!
2. Posted by Rachel | April 30, 2009 10:40 PM |
Score: 5 (9 votes cast)
Posted on April 30, 2009 22:40
3. Posted by Katie L | May 1, 2009 5:18 PM | Score: 2 (4 votes cast)
At least I can spell and pronounce Lake Winnepausakee.
Katie
3. Posted by Katie L | May 1, 2009 5:18 PM |
Score: 2 (4 votes cast)
Posted on May 1, 2009 17:18
4. Posted by tony | May 2, 2009 1:21 PM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
I used to live on this lake and go to college in the next town over(Dudley) at Nichols. It is a beautiful lake.
4. Posted by tony | May 2, 2009 1:21 PM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on May 2, 2009 13:21
5. Posted by Blue | May 3, 2009 7:58 AM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
There was a road back home in Florida with an odd indian name that I can't spell for the world now now but i sure was proud to be able to pronounce it.
5. Posted by Blue | May 3, 2009 7:58 AM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on May 3, 2009 07:58
6. Posted by New England Girl | May 3, 2009 12:37 PM | Score: 2 (4 votes cast)
Katie: No, you cannot. It's Lake Winnipesaukee.
6. Posted by New England Girl | May 3, 2009 12:37 PM |
Score: 2 (4 votes cast)
Posted on May 3, 2009 12:37
7. Posted by kevin p | May 3, 2009 1:04 PM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
When my mother was a little girl 1918, she lived in webster and won a spelling bee for for spelling Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg
7. Posted by kevin p | May 3, 2009 1:04 PM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on May 3, 2009 13:04
8. Posted by Richard G. Schumm | May 4, 2009 9:06 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
My parents met at Lake Char in 1919 or 1920 when Dad and a group of Seminary students met another group from White Plains, New York. My Dad's father had been a pastor in Webster. This picture is the first I have ever seen of Lake Char. By the way, I have been able to pronounce the lake's name PERFECTLY my whole life.
8. Posted by Richard G. Schumm | May 4, 2009 9:06 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on May 4, 2009 09:06
9. Posted by Jim | May 15, 2009 3:49 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I grew up on this lake in the 1950's. My grandmother owned the big house (now gone) across from the Colonial Club on Thompson Road. There used to be an old set of cabins next door owned by a Spanish-American veteran (Mr Gray) called appropriately enough Gray's Cabins. I remember families such as the Scotts, Ryans, Fishers going there. Later it was named the Tip-Top Motel - now it is private property. Those were idyllic times - and Webster Lake was and is a dear memory of my childhood.....
9. Posted by Jim | May 15, 2009 3:49 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on May 15, 2009 15:49
10. Posted by jenny | May 16, 2009 11:00 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
OMG!!!!! That is the worlds most werid word i have ever seen
10. Posted by jenny | May 16, 2009 11:00 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on May 16, 2009 11:00