On 6/13/05 (9:09:21 AM MDT), Sharon A. Pullen 
([log in to unmask]) asked,

"I have received an email from a Venezuelan gentleman regarding the origin of 
the place name, Moriches.  Evidently the word refers to a palm tree that 
grows there and he thinks the word is of South American origin.
 
Does anyone know about this?" 


If you haven't already done so, then you might want to check with the 
Moriches Bay Historical Society, the Town Historian of the Town of Brookhaven, 
Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library and/or the Center Moriches Free Public 
Library:


Moriches Bay Historical Society
PO Box 31
Center Moriches, NY 11934

Tel: 631/878-1776  


Town Historian
Town of Brookhaven
Brookhaven Town Hall
205 South Ocean Avenue
Patchogue, NY 11772

Tel: 631/654-7897
Fax: 631/???-????

eMail: ?????

http://www.brookhaven.org/departments/parks.asp?dept_id=5&page_id=5


Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library 
407 William Floyd Parkway
Shirley, NY 11967

Tel: 631/399-1511
Fax: 631/281-4442 

eMail: ?????

http://www.communitylibrary.org/


Center Moriches Free Public Library
235 Main Street
Center Moriches, NY 11934

Tel: 631/878-0940
Fax: 631/???-????

eMail: ?????

http://www.suffolk.lib.ny.us/libraries/cmor/


For those who may not know, there are three separate "Moriches", from west to 
east: Moriches, Center Moriches and East Moriches, and all three are hamlets 
(unincorporated areas) in the southwest part of the Town of Brookhaven, in the 
southeast part of Suffolk County (they're located immediately to the west of 
the South Fork "Hamptons" area).


I hope this information is useful or, at least, interesting.

Regards,

Walter Greenspan