In 1834, a meeting of citizens had decided that the original name, variously spelled "Musceta Cove," "Musceta Coufe" and "Musketa Cove," led people to believe that it was a mosquito cove. Nothing could be more untrue. It was the first name for the section, given to it by the Indian proprietors. "Musketa Cove" meant "the cove of the grassy flats," given because of the conformation of land and water near by.

Located at the mouth of Hempstead Harbor, where it joins Long Island Sound, this city shares with Sea Cliff the grandeur of an exceptional situation. It is protected from the north-west winds by a breakwater built by the United States government, and is thus a haven for all kinds of water craft.