Charleston is full of extraordinary ironwork — from gates to balconies to window grills to purely decorative pieces. These gates, which can be found next to 15 Limehouse Street, are a wonderful example of wrought or forged)  iron.

Wrought iron is created by heating the iron and beating it into shape by a hammer (think blacksmith). Each piece of bent iron is unique and every wrought iron creation is unique. This is in contrast to cast iron, where a mold is made and the molten metal is poured in — which allows the creation an unlimited volume of identical pieces. Each has its own beauty. Charleston is best known for its wrought iron, particulalrly by the master craftsman Philip Simmons.

This house on Limehouse Street, built in the late 1850’s, used to have a much better view than it does today. When it was built, the old Charleston seawall was just down the block, and there would have been a great view of the marshes and river from the house. In the early 1900’s, however, a large landfill project was initiated which pushed the waterfront a couple of blocks further away. This massive undertaking created much of the Charleston peninsula as we now know it.

The Historic Charleston Foundation has developed an over-lay map  which shows the development of the peninsula over time… very cool.