The Wangunk were a group of Native peoples who lived along the Connecticut River in a region they called Mattabesett located where the modern towns of Portland, Haddam, East Hampton, and Middletown now lie. They were part of the larger Algonquian language and culture family. When Europeans entered the area, the Wangunk sachem Sowheag sold them some of his people’s land but kept two large patches on both sides of the river, including a large hill on the Western side. Sowheag had a walled fortification built here to protect his…
