This document redevelops and unravels the “Mill Creek Redevelopment Area Plan 1954” in an effort to bear witness to the history of the Mill Creek watershed in Philadelphia. In the late 19th century, Mill Creek was encapsulated and pushed underground to be a part of Philadelphia’s sewer system. This action would later have devastating effects on the urban landscape, as the stream continues to resist its containment in a sewer line. This piece was created through a multi-modal research method, including walking the path of Mill Creek as it flows underground through West Philadelphia, excavating online archives, and speaking with the many others who have similarly been captivated by the creek’s history. “Mill Creek Re-Map” participates in, interprets, and comments on the liquid history of the Mill Creek watershed and its shifts through direct human manipulation.
Fiona Jensen-Hitch is a senior from Santa Fe, New Mexico. She is studying Anthropology and English (with a concentration in Creative Writing), and minoring in Archaeological Science. On campus she can usually be found at the Penn Museum, a wonderful building where she spends far too much time. Through the Rising Waters Fellowship, she is working on a project centered around an ecopoetical interpretation of the archival, historical, and indigenous records of Philadelphia’s water supply system.