As you stroll down Archdale Street in historic downtown Charleston, you may not even notice it. A tasteful green Charleston single house with a drive to the left flanked by a wrought iron gate. The house and the gate seem to have always been here, however, much went into renovating this property.
The green house at 7 Archdale Street is called the “Gate House” on the Charleston Day School campus. A neighbor to the school used to live here and sit on his porch, waving at school children as they came and went. When he passed away, the school was offered first rights to purchase the property. The Gate House was renovated by Charleston Day and became the custodial’s home.
The gates at the drive were not there originally. In fact, they were brought over from the 1939 Charleston Day School facility on the corner of Elliott Street and Bedon’s Alley, the school’s second location run by founders Mary Stuart and Emily Tenney. It is said that these gates are originals created by legendary Charleston blacksmith Philip Simmons, each curve skillfully wrought by a master’s hands.
At one point, the house was utilized as the school’s administrative office space. The Gate House now serves as the kitchen facility for Charleston Day, the place where Chef Nick and Flik Dining Services prepare the healthy and delicious meals enjoyed by students and faculty alike. You wouldn’t know the history of these gates, the house, and the stories and years behind them just by walking past. The same can be said for most any location in this downtown neighborhood. Being in a historic Charleston campus is a privilege and an opportunity to be a good steward and a good neighbor. Our growth over the years has been forged with careful consideration for form, function, innovation and respect for history.