Goodbye Coney Island

Like A Wave

Like a wave watermyth is back. Again another turn in the river. Watermyth is going switch it up a bit and start to reflect my experiences in a little part of Philadelphia called Fishtown. I will still cover some basic bases in relation to water, which really I see Fishtown being a part of that struggle historically.

Fishtown is an old working class neighborhood just Northeast of Center City. It sits on the borders between the the baby carriages and bar goers in Northern Liberties, the renowned [warning, the video is produced by the BBC and is representative of a certain view on the area Kennsington, for a fuller view of this area I recommend this video project produced by David Kessler], and Port Richmond, which seems sort of quiet as I have not heard much about it.

Fishtown is White. This "White-ness" traces its roots back to Polish, Irish, and German immigrants who fished the endangerd shad. Though it was also the home to English shipbuilders and currently home to Ukrainian immigrants, and the vanguard of gentrification--it'd be tough to throw a rock and not hit a musician or filmmaker.

The day that I moved in to my house I read an article in one of the weekly papers how in the 1970's black movers moved a white family into a house on my block. That house was later fire bombed. I questioned whether I should tell my friend who was coming to help me move this nugget of information. I decided it was best to, and also told her that if my house were to be fire bombed I will hold her responsible. But times have changed and there is one African American family that lives on my block. Fishtown even voted for Obama, though I hear it was close.

I am still trying to get a handle on Fishtown. I do feel a bit like a fish out of water. We will see what turns up.