Soon after the establishment of a village in the Huntington area, English settlers sought to further expand their territory. On July 30, 1656, land was purchased from Chief Asharoken, head of the Matinecocks Native American tribe, part of which consisted of the land that is today known as East Northport.
Two distinct communities formed in the area now known as East Northport. The more populous settlement known as Larkfield was located on the northern side, near Vernon Valley (now part of Northport). Larkfield originally developed near the location of Genola Cemetery, just north of the modern-day junction of Larkfield Road, Vernon Valley Road, and Laurel Road. A second community located on the southern side was known as Clay Pitts, named for its vast deposits of red clay. This clay which had been used by Native Americans to form pottery was used by the Europeans to form bricks for construction. The land between Larkfield and Clay Pitts was well suited for agriculture and the region prospered in the late 18th century as a thriving farming community by supplying produce to markets in New York City and Brooklyn.