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of Plum Island, as early as 1525 (Saville, 1934). It wasn't 

 until 1605, some eighty years later, that De Champlain made 

 the first documented landfall in the area of the present-day 

 town of Rockport, Massachusetts (Saville, 1934). The first 

 recorded description of Plum Island did not appear until 

 1614. During this year John Smith, while exploring the 

 Atlantic Coast of North America, made the following 

 observation about Plum Island: 



"On the east is an Isle of two or three 

 leagues in length; the one half plain 

 marish grass fit for pasture, with many fair 

 high groves of mulberry trees and gardens; 

 and there is also oaks, pines, and other 

 woods to make this place an excellent 

 habitation, being a good and safe harbor." 

 (Smith, 1837, p. 118) 



It is obvious from this brief passage that John Smith 

 observed an entirely different view of the island than can 

 be seen today. It appears the island at the time of Smith's 

 visit was relatively stable and covered, at least partially, 

 by a forest of pines and oaks. 



Smith's reference to "fair high groves of mulberry 

 trees" is somewhat puzzling. It has been suggested that the 

 mulberry trees Smith mentions were beach plums (Essex 

 Inst. Field Meeting, 1889; Moorehead, 1931). It is my 

 opinion that John Smith mistook the hackberry trees ( Celtis 

 occidentalis ) which commonly grow on the high back dunes for 

 mulberry trees. The overall profile of the hackberry trees 

 as well as their leaf shape are very similar to and easily 

 confused with those of mulberry. After John Smith's initial 

 description of Plum Island there is very little reference to 

 the appearance of its vegetation in the literature. 



LAND USE HISTORY 



Early Settlement 



Plum Island was first granted to Capt. John Mason by 

 the President and Council of Plymouth in 1621 (Felt, 1834; 

 Waters, 1918). It was originally called Mason's Island. 

 During the 1630 's the island became known as Plum Island 

 (Currier, 1896; Waters, 1918). It undoubtedly received 

 this name due to the abundance of beach plums growing there. 

 There is no record of the island being settled before this 

 date, but it is known from the large number of shell middens 

 and artifacts found on the island that it was frequently 



