King Street

Being from Charleston, SC their are a lot of places to see and a lot of places to visit. Most cities have that one street that everyone knows about well in Charleston we have that kind of street. The name of the street is called King Street. It's a long street with a lot of stores before I get to some of the stores let me give you a break down of what I remember about King Street

I grew up in the 80's going into Charleston was always beautiful. My mom would go downtown often. I would always notice that their was a white side of King Street and then their was a black side. On the black side you would see stores like (forgive my spelling it's been a long time since I have been down there) leon's variety store where I got my first ears pierced and my mom bought endless stockings from there with the designs. Bluestiens where every man from Charleston has shopped for that colorful Easter suit. On the white side you had the Talbot Company where a lot of rich white people would go in and buy fancy digs for work. You also had brooks brother where they sold nice clothes that my mom use to make because she worked in a factory that made the pants. I had heard talk about how black people don't cross the white side and vice versa but my mom being the dare devil that she was took me into talbot company for the first time when I was around 8 or 9. I remember it clearly the white people seemed like they stopped what they were doing and just stared at us. My mom went right in and browsed some sweaters and asked a sale lady if they had a certain size. The lady helped us and my mom ended up buying the sweater. Some years later my mom was able to obtain a Talbot card and that became her favorite store she even sent all of her friends in there to shop. Now I don't know if black people ever went in the store before but this was the experience I had when we first went in.

Through the years King street has grown when I got to high school their was a pizza joint downtown that we would skip school to visit and to this day they are the best pizza I have had. I don't know if any of the stores are still there but I sure do miss that King Street. Last time I was home their were many new stores even my favorite firehouse subs. What do you remember about King street?

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Geechee Profile: Philip Simmons

Photo Credit: http://southcarolina1670.wordpress.com/

Philip Simmons was born June 9, 1912 on Daniel's Island, South Carolina. Mr. Simmons lived on the island with his grandparents until he was 8 years old. He was then sent to live with his mother in the city of Charleston. At the age of 13, Mr. Simmons began to apprentice under a blacksmith by the name of Peter Simmons (no relation), a former slave. After a 5 year apprenticeship, at the age of 18 Mr. Simmons became a full blacksmith. 

Mr. Simmons began his 77 year career making simple things such as horseshoes. His first commissioned work was for Jack Krawcheck, during WWII, where he had to use scrap iron to make a gate because wartime materials requirements made it impossible to get iron. 
 

Mr. Simmons created all types of ironwork including fences, gates, balconies, fireplace pokers, and various tools. Much of his work can be seen in and around the city of Charleston. 

Philip Simmons has been awarded the National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment of the Arts, a Lifetime Achievement Award by the South Carolina General Assembly, the Order of the Palmetto, and the Elizabeth O'Neill Verner Governor's Award.  Mr. Simmons has been inducted into the South Carolina Hall of Fame. Mr. Simmons’ work has been on display at the Smithsonian.

 Mr. Simmons, after retiring from blacksmithing, continued to teach his craft until he was no longer able. Philip Simmons died June 22, 2009, at the age of 97. He is truly a Charleston icon.

 I had the pleasure of meeting, and speaking with Mr. Simmons on several occasions, and he was one of the sweetest people I've ever met. 

To learn more about Mr. Simmons visit: Philip Simmons Foundation, Inc

Biography:  Charleston Blacksmith, The Work of Philips Simmons by John Michael Vlach

Documentary: Keeper of The Gate by David Flander
Interview:http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/interviews/oral-history-interview-philip-simmons-11873

If you are ever in Chaleston here is list of places that you can see Mr. Simmons' work:

• The gazebo at the Charleston International Airport
• Gates outside the Charleston Vistors Center
• The egret gates at Waterfront Park
• The Gadsden house gate at 329 East Bay St.
• The gate at 2 st. Michael’s Alley
• The railings and window grilles at 45 Meeting St.
• The heart gates at St. John’s Reformed Episcopal Church at 91 Anson St.

Picture Source: http://fycharleston.tumblr.com/post/40688453488/philip-simmons-a-charleston-legend-1912-2009

 

 

Get to know us in Charleston

Get a taste of how we talk and what we are known for if you understand everything in this video you alright with me lol. 

Folklore: Plat-Eye

One of the evil spirits that the blue bottle tree is believed to trap is the Plat-eye. The plat-eye has been described as the unsettled spirit of a person wronged while alive, or who wasn't buried properly, or without any care.

The Plat-eye can take the form of animals, or the spirit form of the recently deceased. There are times that the plat-eye has no shape, it's just mist, which is said to be freezing and suffocating. The plat-eye can also be invisible except for glowing, fiery eyes. If you are haunted by a Plat-eye that is in human, or animal form, it is said to have front teeth, but no back teeth. If the plat-eye isn't in the form of an animal, or human ,it has one large eye that is the size of a plate, hence the name. This is said to be the plat-eye truest form.

The unsettled haint, mostly hunt the people who have done them wrong while they were alive, or the people who buried them incorrectly. The plat-eye is so vengeful that it's said that it torments a person until they go insane, or until they die. Some are even said to be able to suck the souls out of their hunted.To get rid of a plat-eye you have to either bury a person correctly, or right the wrong that you have done to the offended, somehow. 

Though you should treat people with care, and respect, not to worry SOME say that the plat-eye only lurks around swamps, and old rice fields.