Overview

When plans to overhaul Southwest Philadelphia in the 1950s scheduled both the integrated neighborhood of Eastwick and the ecologically valuable Tinicum marshes to be razed, two grassroots movements took up the cause—battling eminent domain in the name of environmental conservation and economic injustice. In the 1950s, the City of Philadelphia began planning the country's most geographically expansive ""slum clearing"" project in the marshy reaches of the city’s southwest. The Eastwick neighborhood’s resistance to the project was racially diverse and working class in nature. Led by housewives, the resistance went toe to toe with a massive government bureaucracy hungry for progress. As the neighborhood rallied to defend itself, a parallel grassroots effort by bird watchers desperately worked to save the embattled Tinicum marshes. The unspoiled remains of Pennsylvania's last freshwater tidal marsh came under threat as city government pursued its visions of a “citywithinacity” in Eastwick. Amid protest marches and bomb threats, political intrigue and outrage, a question emerged that would forever influence the region: Who deserves a home? Should the homes of people be saved, or the homes of birds? Or would all of it be buried in dredged silt and cinder, with beloved wilderness and homes a mere footing for ambitious urban planners? Decades later, the story is not over. The legacy of urban redevelopment and environmental conservation has forever changed the lives of thousands in Southwest Philadelphia and Delaware County. Through oral history and exhaustive research, Tinicum & Eastwick documents one of the most egregious civil rights violations in Pennsylvania history, as well as one of the state’s greatest environmental triumphs. Author Will Caverly confronts the intersection of eminent domain and environment, told through the struggles everyday residents of Southeastern Pennsylvania endured to pursue justice.

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9781955041140

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Reviews

""This is a gripping story of the dark side of progress and its impact on the lives of real Philadelphians who didn't have the political connections to stop powerful interests from taking away a sacred American ideal (ironically enshrined in Philadelphia): private property rights. Will Caverly has done a masterful job bringing the voices of the impacted residents to light, humanizing their experiences through heartfelt stories of family and community, while sending an important warning about the abuses of government and its ability to take away individual liberty in the name of the 'greater good.'""--Rich Zeoli, Philadelphia Talk Radio Host ""Movements for wildlife conservation and environmental justice have historically worked--at best--in parallel, with well-resourced, white-led conservation organizations long ignoring how environmental impacts land on Black and Brown and low-income communities. In rich detail, Will Caverly captures how this played out in Eastwick, the site of the nation's first urban wildlife refuge, the largest urban renewal project in history, and now Philadelphia's most vulnerable floodplain community. Crucially, Caverly achieves this through reverence for the stories of all involved.""--Amy Laura Cahn, climate and environmental justice lawyer and former counsel to Eastwick Friends and Neighbors Coalition ""Triumph and tragedy, local and national politics, race relations, environmental concerns, and the struggle to save our heritage. I found myself pondering the eternal vigilance required for justice, the strengths and weaknesses of our democracy, and the way a small group of citizens can change the world. Don't be surprised if this book stays with you forever.""--James Stoddard, author of Liberty Bell and the Last American ""Will Caverly's Tinicum & Eastwick could be shelved in both history and current events. It documents the tale of an important early success in the private conservation movement and our organization. At the same time, it shines a light on the complex and often fraught intersection between land use and justice, a dynamic that is playing out still today at Tinicum and around the country.""--Oliver Bass, President, Natural Lands ""Will Caverly's Tinicum and Eastwick is a fascinating, compassionately researched account of environmental hazard, racial injustice, and community organizing. From redlining to bird migrations, Caverly addresses complex issues without losing sight of the people and places whose stories he tells. Tinicum and Eastwick offers lessons, warnings, and inspiration that are relevant far beyond Philadelphia.""--Regina Munch, associate editor, Commonweal magazine

"""Triumph and tragedy, local and national politics, race relations, environmental concerns, and the struggle to save our heritage. I found myself pondering the eternal vigilance required for justice, the strengths and weaknesses of our democracy, and the way a small group of citizens can change the world. Don't be surprised if this book stays with you forever.""--James Stoddard, author of Liberty Bell and the Last American ""Will Caverly's Tinicum and Eastwick is a fascinating, compassionately researched account of environmental hazard, racial injustice, and community organizing. From redlining to bird migrations, Caverly addresses complex issues without losing sight of the people and places whose stories he tells. Tinicum and Eastwick offers lessons, warnings, and inspiration that are relevant far beyond Philadelphia.""--Regina Munch, associate editor, Commonweal magazine"

Author Information

Will Caverly writes about history and the outdoors from his home in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Will has been featured in magazines like Bee Culture, Root Quarterly, Front Porch Republic, and PA Game News. He's the author of the Mercenary Pen blog and Here, the Bees Sting, a beekeeping thriller. Keep up with him at www.willcaverly.com.

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