During the gold rush and the years that followed, people brought familiar plants to Columbia as reminders of their homelands. They established family gardens and orchards that provided seasonal vegetables and fruits as well as welcome shelter during the heat of summer. Historic varieties of fruit and nut trees from those early years may still be seen in the park, including olives, figs, grapes, apples, pears, and plums. Most of the common vegetables of today were grown here in the past, and trees such as elm, catalpa, tree-of-heaven, and black locust also reflect Columbia’s diverse past residents.