The large, neoclassical Simmons-Edwards House is a

Charleston single house A Charleston single house is a form of house found in Charleston, South Carolina. A single house has its narrow side (often two- or three-bays wide) with a gable end along the street and a longer side (often five-bays) running perpendicular to the s ...

built for Francis Simmons, a Johns Island planter, about 1800. The house, located at 14 Legare St.,

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint o ...

, is famous for its large brick gates with decorative wrought iron. The gates, which were installed by George Edwards (who owned the house until 1835) and which bear his initials, include finials that were carved to resemble Italian pinecones. They are frequently referred to as pineapples by locals, and the house is known popularly as the Pineapple Gates House.Jonathan H. Poston, ''The Buildings of Charleston: A Guide to the City's Architecture'' 243-44 (University of South Carolina Press 1997) It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1973. and The house was occupied by

James Adger Smyth James Adger Smyth (June 8, 1837 – April 25, 1920) was Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina for two terms between 1896 and 1903. Smyth was born on June 8, 1837, in Charleston, South Carolina. His father, Thomas Smyth, was pastor of the Second P ...

, a mayor of Charleston from 1879 until he died on April 25, 1920. In 1951, Dr. L.S. Fuller and Mrs. Josephine Wilson sold the house to Standard Oil executive Bushrod B. Howard and his wife for $50,000. The Howards in turn sold the house for $100,000 (the highest price paid for a house in Charleston at that time) to

Nancy Stevenson Ferdinan Backer "Nancy" Stevenson (June 8, 1928 – May 31, 2001) was an American politician who served as Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina from 1979 to 1983. She was the first and only woman to be elected to statewide office in South Carolin ...

, the lieutenant governor of South Carolina during part of the Richard Riley administration and wife of Norman Stevenson. In April 1987, Thomas R. Bennett, a Charleston real estate agent, bought the house for $800,000. In May 1989, Bennett sold the house for $2 million to William and Cynthia Gilliam (again the highest price paid for a Charleston house at the time), and the Gilliams sold the house to the notorious artworld figure

Andrew Crispo Andrew John Crispo (born 1945) is an American former art gallerist and convicted felon. In 1985 Crispo was implicated in the so-called ''Death Mask Murder'' of Norwegian fashion student Eigil Dag Vesti. The murder, committed by Crispo's employee Ber ...

for $2,050,000 in September 1990. In April 1997, an executive with

Goldman Sachs Goldman Sachs () is an American multinational investment bank and financial services company. Founded in 1869, Goldman Sachs is headquartered at 200 West Street in Lower Manhattan, with regional headquarters in London, Warsaw, Bangalore, H ...

John L. Thornton John Lawson Thornton (born January 2, 1954) is an American businessman and professor and director of the Global Leadership Program at Tsinghua University in Beijing. He is also executive chairman of Barrick Gold Corporation and non-executive chai ...

, purchased the house following a court-ordered auction to help satisfy the debts of its former owner, the scandal besieged art dealer Andrew Crispo. The $3.1 million high bid was the highest price paid for a house in Charleston at the time. The Thorntons are responsible for an extensive, heavily researched restoration of the gardens. According to the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, "In 1816, George Edwards purchased the property and enlarged the premises, creating a garden which was separated from the house yard by a notable fence of wrought iron which had unusual stuccoed columns topped with sandstone balls."

References

External links

Simmons-Edwards House, Charleston County (12-14 Legare St., Charleston)
at South Carolina Department of Archives and History {{National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina National Historic Landmarks in South Carolina Houses in Charleston, South Carolina Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina Houses completed in 1800 National Register of Historic Places in Charleston, South Carolina Historic district contributing properties in South Carolina

See also

References

External links