▁the ▁Dar umb al ▁people , ▁the ▁ind igen ous ▁tribe ▁local ▁to ▁the ▁region . ▁ ▁Indeed , ▁on ▁the ▁western ▁fr inge ▁of ▁Rock ham pton , ▁an ▁exp ans ive ▁wet lands ▁system ▁was ▁named ▁Ye ppen - Y e ppen ▁L ago on . ▁ ▁On ▁that ▁basis , ▁the ▁et ym ology ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁districts ▁is ▁believed ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁same . ▁ ▁Initial ▁settlement ▁was ▁slow ▁however . ▁ ▁Though ▁intended ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁town ship , ▁the ▁region ' s ▁rich ▁so ils ▁attract ed ▁far mers ▁rather ▁than ▁town spe ople . ▁▁ ▁This ▁changed ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁with ▁the ▁comm enc ement ▁of ▁regular ▁stage co ach ▁services ▁from ▁Rock ham pton , ▁and ▁the ▁continued ▁min ing ▁of ▁co pper ▁and ▁gold ▁in ▁the ▁coast al ▁hinter lands ▁around ▁C aw ar ral ▁and ▁Mount ▁Chal mers . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 8 8 9 , ▁the ▁town ▁was ▁growing ▁stead ily , ▁and ▁bo asted ▁several ▁hot els ▁and ▁board ing ▁houses , ▁a ▁sugar ▁mill , ▁a ▁te legraph ▁service , ▁a ▁Method ist - Pres by ter ian ▁church , ▁and ▁Ye pp oon ' s ▁first ▁state ▁school ▁which ▁is ▁today ▁a ▁her itage ▁listed ▁building . ▁ ▁With ▁primary ▁production ▁the ▁lif eb lo od ▁of ▁the ▁town , ▁better ▁transport ation ▁was ▁needed , ▁not ▁only ▁to ▁Rock ham pton ▁but ▁along ▁the ▁coast ▁as ▁well . ▁ ▁Ste am ▁w ag ons ▁followed ▁and ▁the