introducing Tom & Savannah mchale
One can say that Thomas and Savannah McHale “live” (literally) in Tacony Creek Park. Their residence along Tabor Avenue once served as worker housing for employees of the Whitaker Textile Mill, which operated along Tacony Creek from 1813 to 1970.
Thomas’ parents bought their home in 1991. To them, the place felt like a nod to their ancestors and their heritage, because it reminded his mother of the cottages she was familiar with having grown up among the lush green hills of Ireland.
After spending several years away for school and work, Thomas moved back to the area in 2018 with Savannah. Shortly thereafter, they got married. They held their outdoor wedding ceremony in their backyard, which essentially is the park. Together the couple have become visible and vocal supporters of the land and the water here. They are keepers and caregivers of a greenspace that has been inextricably woven into the fabric of their life story.
interview excerpts & images
On their Relationship with Tacony Creek Park
If kids or anyone can take a walk in the park and that somehow inspires them to care about the environment and the world we live in, in ways different from just the grind of our daily lives, then that’s what I would hope is the purpose of the park today, tomorrow, and 10 years from now, is inspiring people to care about the bigger picture.
On growing up in the Olney/Tacony Creek Park area
On Discovering & Photographing Wildlife in the park
On Foxes, Herons, & Hummingbirds…
On Comparing Different decades of the park
On the History of the Tabor Avenue House
On Getting Married in their own backyard / park
