| Honga River | |
| Map: | Hongarivermap.png |
| Map Size: | 250 |
| Pushpin Map Size: | 250 |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | United States |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | Maryland |
| Subdivision Type3: | Region |
| Subdivision Name3: | Eastern Shore |
| Subdivision Type5: | Cities |
| Subdivision Name5: | Hoopersville, Bishops Head, Wingate, Crapo, Church Creek |
| Source1 Location: | Church Creek, Maryland |
| Mouth: | Chesapeake Bay |
| Mouth Location: | Hooper's Island |
| Mouth Elevation: | 0feet |
| Tributaries Left: | Wallace Creek, Spicer Creek |
| Tributaries Right: | Worlds End Creek, Fox Creek |
The Honga River is an estuary on the eastern side of the Chesapeake Bay, bounded on the west by Hooper's Island and on the east by the mainland of Dorchester County, Maryland.[1] [2] 14miles in length and over 1miles wide, it runs southeast to the west entrance of Hooper Strait, north of Tangier Island; the Hooper Strait Light stood between the two. Towns on the river include Crapo, Fishing Creek and Wingate.
The Honga River is actually the widened, southern end of a strait that also includes Slaughter Creek, Upper Keene Broad, Dunnock Island Creek, and Lower Keene Broad.
The river was sometimes called "tunger" or even "Hungary" River,[3] Historians hold, however, that the name is derived from the Powatan word kahunge meaning "goose".[4] [5] The Honga was a historic center of the oyster fishery in the bay and continues to be popular with sport fishermen.