Glimpsing Our Past, Through the Gates of Charleston

Looking back in time...
Photo Credit: Stacy and Christine, Out 2 Lunch, LLC

Photo Credit: AngelOakPhoto.com

learning history at Ft Johnson

Hope that everyone had a great holiday weekend.  This year we stayed home and had a low key cookout with friends.  It was nice to relax and enjoy the holiday from home, and to spend time with the children looking back on our favorite July 4^th memories of years past.   Over the past 11 years we have spent the holiday weekend in Charleston, SC.  Charleston is a place like no other – it’s a slower, more relaxed way of life; there’s something about it that touches my soul, when I am in Charleston I feel connected to all those who walked those streets before me. It is also a wonderful place to share with my children the history of our country. A few years back we spent July 4^th visiting the Angel Oak tree on John’s Island (an island just outside of Charleston).  The tree is estimated to be at least 500 years old, and its majesty can’t be truly captured in pictures.  We discussed the fact that this tree was a full grown 250 years old when our nation was born, that it stood sentry during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, that it has seen things we can only read in history books.  For years we have watched fireworks at Ft Johnson, and last year had the opportunity to walk through and learn the history of the area.  It was amazing to think that we were picnicking where the first shots of the Civil War were fired!

Photo Credit: Stacy and Christine, Out 2 Lunch, LLC

Photo Credit: Stacy and Christine
Out 2 Lunch, LLC

What inspires most, however, is the city itself, the architecture and the wrought iron gates.  I have several jewelry pieces that depict different gates in Charleston, as well as some iron home décor that reflects their style.  They were even featured in the table numbers at the rehearsal dinner for our wedding!  The gates were one of the first things to catch my eye when I visited Charleston, years before moving there, and they continue to be a feature I show others when I bring them to visit (thankfully Christine shared my appreciation during our trip this spring and obliged me by taking several great pics!). There are some large, famous gates that everyone recognizes, but the small gates always seem to catch my eye – those almost hidden away on side streets, alleys and back gardens.   Amidst the grand and glorious homes of Charleston, these hidden gems show attention to even the smallest details.

Photo Credit: Stacy and Christine
Out 2 Lunch, LLC

The homes and streets of Charleston have featured decorative ironwork in some degree since about 1730. Although the gates, window grilles and boot scrapers have utilitarian roots, they are also timeless work of art.  During the history of the Holy City various artisans rose to the forefront of the decorative ironworks movements, and their styles are reflected in the gates about town.  The mid 1800’s, when other areas cities shifted towards the use of less expensive cast iron , Charleston residents  were fortunate to have a trio of talented German emigrant blacksmiths that were more than willing to continue working in decorative wrought iron.   Christopher Werner, J.A.W Justi , and Frederic Ortmann were the original creators of some of the most famous Charleston gates during the antebellum and early post-Civil War period.

Photo Credit: Stacy and Christine
Out 2 Lunch, LLC

Philip Simmons, perhaps the most well known of the Charleston gate-makers, was born in 1912. He continued the legacy of skilled African American artisans – both slave and free.  His mentor, the unrelated Peter Simmons, was born a slave and learned the blacksmith trade from his own father. Following the Civil War and emancipation he ran a blacksmith shop in Charleston.  Peter took Philip Simmons as an apprentice at the age of 13, eventually passing the shop to him. As times changed, and modernization came, Philip Simmons recognized that there was less and less use for the traditional skills in creating horse shoes and wagon wheels. After gaining some recognition for his ability to restore the decorative ironworks around Charleston he was commissioned to create his first original piece in 1947. Between that time and his death in 2009, Peter Simmons created over 500 original decorative ironwork pieces. Many of these live on today  in and around the lowcountry of Charleston.

All gate pictures in this post were taken by myself or Christine.  I chose them because they are my favorites, but make no claim as to who created them – or when!  I hope that you get the chance to explore Charleston someday and choose your own favorites.!

Photo Credit: Stacy and Christine
Out 2 Lunch, LLC

As with most things that inspire us, the influence of the Charleston gates will be seen in the products of Out 2 Lunch.  While searching Ebay for vintage jewelry  to accent our creations, Christine found some unique pieces that reminded us of the timeless Charleston gates.  We, of course, bid on and purchased them. Although I am not sure what their original purpose was, I can’t wait to use these pieces to create some Charleston inspired clutches. Look for them on our website soon!!

Enjoy the Moment.... Stacy

I used the following websites for my research into the gates of Charleston, please check them out for more detailed information: 

http://charlestonmag.com/features/wrought_iron
http://www.charlestonfootprints.com/cultural_curiosities.html
http://ldhi.library.cofc.edu/exhibits/show/philip_simmons
http://www.angeloaktree.com

http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biography/philip-simmons-41

Photo Credit: Stacy and Christine, Out 2 Lunch, LLC