Philip Simmons

Philip Simmons was the most distinguished of Charleston ironworkers. Born on Daniel Island, he began his eighty year career as a blacksmith at the age of thirteen under the apprenticeship of formerly enslaved Peter Simmons, no relation. More than 600 pieces of his ornamental ironwork can still be seen throughout the city in private residences and public places such as the Charleston Airport, Waterfront Park, and the Charleston Visitor Center. A beloved legend in his own time, he became a member of the South Carolina Hall of Fame and received the National Heritage Fellowship, the highest honor the United States can bestow on a traditional artist. The Smithsonian Museum acquired his work in 1982. The gate at Liberty Square was designed by him at his East Side workshop, and the Philip Simmons Foundation preserves his legacy and craft.

Charleston, South Carolina · United States