Five Historic Narratives from Charleston’s Eastside

By Mark A Leon

The deep rooted history of Charleston, South Carolina is one of the biggest impactful draws to this coastal Southern city.   The Eastside may have aome of the richest and moat vital historic storylines.  Here are 5 historic narratives about the Eastside.

1. Hampstead Village: The Birth of the Eastside

Hampstead Village, established in 1769 by Henry Laurens, is the historic heart of Charleston’s Eastside. Laurens purchased and subdivided land originally owned by Richard Cole and later George Austin, creating a planned residential community with a grid of streets. Once a rural tract, Hampstead evolved into an affluent suburb before becoming one of Charleston’s most diverse and densely populated neighborhoods. Its boundaries-roughly from Mary Street to Huger Street and Meeting Street to the Cooper River-have shifted over time, but its identity as the Eastside remains central to Charleston’s history.

2. A Working-Class and Black Artisan Community

In the 19th century, the Eastside was a respected working-class neighborhood. More than 3,000 free Black artisans-including carpenters, ironsmiths, and tailors-lived and owned property here, contributing significantly to Charleston’s built environment. Their skills built many of the city’s iconic structures and earned them recognition, even as they faced post-Civil War poverty and discriminatory laws. Over time, German and Irish immigrants also settled here, and the area became known for its ethnic diversity and, at times, tensions between groups.

3. The Legacy of Philip Simmons, Master Blacksmith

Philip Simmons (1912–2009) stands as one of the most celebrated figures from the Eastside. Moving to Charleston at age eight, Simmons apprenticed under blacksmith Peter Simmons and began a career that spanned nearly eight decades. He created over a thousand wrought iron pieces-gates, fences, balconies, and more-that now adorn homes, churches, and public spaces throughout Charleston and beyond. His distinctive style, often featuring tight curls and lifelike animal motifs, became synonymous with the city’s ironwork tradition. Simmons received national honors, including the National Heritage Fellowship, and after his death, his Eastside home and workshop became a museum.

4. The Impact of Urban Change and Preservation

The Eastside’s fortunes have fluctuated with Charleston’s economic cycles. After the Civil War, the area suffered from poverty and restrictive laws. In the 20th century, public housing projects and commercial properties appeared alongside sagging 19th-century homes and occasional antebellum mansions. In the 1980s, city proposals to designate the Eastside as a historic district met resistance from residents concerned about rising costs and strict regulations. Despite these challenges, preservation efforts have helped maintain the neighborhood’s architectural and cultural legacy.

5. Simmons’s Gates and the Spirit of the Eastside

Simmons’s ironwork is more than decorative-it symbolizes the resilience and creativity of the Eastside. His gates, featured at landmarks like the Charleston Visitor Center and even the Smithsonian, blend African American craft traditions with Charleston’s historic aesthetic. The “snake gate” and other pieces showcase his improvisational skill and attention to detail. Today, his nephew Carlton Simmons continues the tradition at the original Blake Street workshop, ensuring that the Eastside’s legacy of craftsmanship endures.

These narratives highlight the Eastside’s transformation from rural land to a vibrant, diverse community, the contributions of Black artisans like Philip Simmons, and the ongoing balance between preservation and progress in one of Charleston’s most storied neighborhoods.

Related: 5 of the Oldest Places in Historic Charleston, SC that should be on your bucket list