Poverty Point is located on Macon Ridge, overlooking the west side of the Mississippi River floodplain. Before the current man-m
ade levee system, the Mississippi River often overran its bank, flooding the valley and creating a swampy floodplain habitat. The elevated ridge would have stayed dry during flooding and would have supported both hardwood and grassland habitats. This setting would have provided easy access to a variety of upland and bottomland resources (deer, small mammals, nuts, fruits and berries, fish aquatic roots, and turtles) and to the Mississippi, Ouachita, and Arkansas Rivers, which were important for trade with other groups. According to the source, why did the Native Americans at Poverty Point select the location at Macon Ridge for their settlement?
The Native Americans chose Macon Ridge for their settlement because the ridge was elevated above the river, so it would stay dry during flooding and support grassland habitats. It provided easy access to deer, small mammals, nuts and berries, various fruits, fish, and much more. The Macon Ridge was extremely beneficial to their settlement colony.
The Native Americans chose Macon Ridge for their settlement because the ridge was elevated above the river, so it would stay dry during flooding and support grassland habitats. It provided easy access to deer, small mammals, nuts and berries, various fruits, fish, and much more.
