Carson Mansion - Eureka, CA
Posted by: 
Hikenutty
N 40° 48.334 W 124° 09.535
10T E 402246 N 4517819
The Carson Mansion, a contributing building to the Eureka Historict District, is one of California's most famous painted ladies. It was built from 1884-1886 and designed by the well known San Franciso architects, Newsom & Newsom.
Waymark Code: WM2Y86
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 01/09/2008
Views: 81
The following excerpt is from "California: A Guide to the Golden State":
The CARSON HOUSE, 2nd and M Sts., is a startling architectural monument. The lumber magnate who built it next door to his lumber yards imported most of the General Grant ornamentation from eastern mills. It stands, carefully preserved, amid sprucely tended grounds. Its jagged roof line, visible from almost any quarter of the city, the tortured ornamentation, and the trim paint give it the air of a prop for a Silly Symphony.
It is obvious from the description of the Carson Mansion (called the "Carson House" in the excerpt) that when this book was written modernism was in full swing and the ornate Victorian style was no longer admired, but instead seen as "tortured."
The Queen Anne/Eastlake style Carson Mansion is one of California's most famous painted ladies. It was built from 1884-1886 and designed by the well known San Franciso architects, Newsom & Newsom. The building is considered by experts to have "an encyclopedic array of Eastlake and Queen Anne forms and details."
It is by far the most famous of the 150+ contributing buildings in the Eureka Historic District, known locally as "Old Town."
William Carson was a local lumber magnate and he built his home high on a hill overlooking the ocean and his lumberyards. The building was kept in the Carson family until 1949 when it was sold to the Ingomar Club, a private men's club that operates the building to this day. It has been kept in pristine condition, inside and out.
Although the club is private there are occasional events that are open to the public. Check the club's Website for details of any upcoming events.