East 5th St. is a beautiful block by todays standards. There are relatively young, mature Oaks and Maples about every 10 or so feet and the local east side community organizations do an excellent job keeping these trees in tact. Adding to a sense of a quiet, well kept environment, the block is primarily residential with a couple businesses located at the ground floor. But in 1609, this block would have been completely unsustainable to human habitat and its inhabitants would have belonged to very diverse communities. Virginia Creepers, Strawberry Bushes, Red Maples, Black Cherries, Limber Honeysuckles, Oaks, and Tulip trees dominated the regions flora. Black Bears, White-tailed Deer, Brown Snakes, and Meadow Voles most likely roamed the streets in abundance. There were no trails near the area and the distance to the nearest Native encampment was about 1500 meters leading me to believe that this area was a region rich in biodiversity and accessible mainly to the life supporting the ecosystem. Although plants and animals were the primary occupants, with fruit bearing species like Blackgum, Chokeberry, Summer Grapes, and Honeysuckle populating the area, I believe this block would have been a great place for gathering and was probably used as such.
Lou
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