Philip Simmons House
Philip Simmons is a well-known member of the South Carolina Hall of Fame, a Charleston local known for creating some of the cities most decorative 20th-century pieces. In his lifetime (1912 - 2009), Simmons received over 500 commissions to design, holding a very lengthy, and very successful career in blacksmithing.
Simmons was born in 1912 and became a blacksmith apprentice at 13. He took to the art very quickly and started producing some of the finest wrought iron fences, many of which you will still see scattered around Charleston. Most of his work incorporated hearts, trees, or animals, as he liked to incorporate more natural things into his daily work.
Simmons received the National Endowment for the Arts' highest award in 1982, the National Heritage Fellowship. His works are on display all throughout the city, at the Charleston Museum, South Carolina Museum, and even at the Smithsonian.
A trip to this house-turned-museum will teach you in-depth facts about this man's life, both professionally and personally. The home is on Blake Street and holds an artsy and affordable gift shop within its confines. Be sure to save plenty of time to explore the garage, the spot used as Simmons main workshop during his residency.
