IN-PERSON Manchester Livable Cities

Abstract

In the heart of Dallas, Texas, two ancient creeks—Turtle Creek and Mill Creek—narrate a tale of urban divergence with significant implications for livability and collective memory. According to urban designer George Kessler’s 1910 plan for Dallas, both waterways were to be preserved as integral components of a vibrant, healthy city. Historically essential resources, these creeks attracted early inhabitants who built their lives along their banks. Today, Turtle Creek remains a lush stream winding gracefully through manicured public green spaces and affluent neighborhoods. Conversely, Mill Creek’s waters are entombed beneath concrete and asphalt, reduced to a storm sewer running invisibly beneath industrial land and highways, its original course largely forgotten. This presentation highlights select aspects of the ongoing “walking research” project, Whispered Cartographies, which combines archival investigation with psychogeographical practices—walking and documenting creek courses from their sources to confluences with the Trinity River. Specifically, it focuses on reconstructing Mill Creek’s hidden path through scattered historical records and reflective walking documentation. This exploration reveals how the context and impact of urban development can shape public memory, equitable access to green space, and ecological storytelling. As Iain Sinclair observed, “Maps are not mirrors, but rather prompts for imagination,” suggesting maps merely hint at the complex realities they document. Employing intimate, narrative-driven methods, this project scrutinizes what it means to design sustainable, equitable urban futures by uncovering and understanding hidden histories that profoundly influence contemporary urban landscapes.