Some say the village of Napanoch was named in honor of a fallen Indian Chief, while others say it is thought to mean land overflowed by water. Regardless of who is right, everyone agrees that Napanoch is a pleasant place to call home. It located along the Rondout Creek, which in times past was valued for water power.
From its earliest days it was considered to be a thriving community with pleasant homes, schools, shops, houses of worship, and mills. Today, the Main Street portion of the village awaits revival, while the residential streets that surround it are regarded as a solid tight knit community that have a variety of types of housing. Residents of Napanoch enjoy close proximity to shopping, and restaurants – in nearby Ellenville. There are a number of outdoor activities that are close as well, including Sams Point, and the O & W Rail Trail. Napanoch has two historic places that are on the National Register of Historic Places – the Hoornbeek (Hornbeck) Store, and the former O and W Railroad Passenger Station. The Hornbeck Store is a substantial complex of buildings located on Main Street. It was a centerpiece of commerce in the village for many years – dating from the early 1800’s. The O and W Railroad Passenger Station was built in 1903 and served to bring tourists to the area. It also was used to bring inmates to the then newly established prison.
Other Hamlets and small communities located in the Town of Wawarsing are: Cantonville, Dairyland, Drowned Lands, Homowack, Honk Hill, Leuren Kill, Port Benjamin, Port Hixon, Newport, Spring Glen, Ulster Heights, and Yaegerville.