Carson Mansion ~ Eureka

Built 1884 - 1886 for William Carson the Lumber Baron

This page is an off-shoot of > Largest Coast Redwoods

Copyright 2009 by Mario Vaden

Here is a house with historical connections to the redwoods and logging. This is one of the most photographed Victorian, Queen Anne, buildings in the United States There are at least 2 other very nice Victorian houses across the street and block. A few more pics may be in my redwood albums.

If you enjoy old architecture, this would be a fine add-on for your redwood vacation Barely a 2 minute detour off the main route through town.

The building in the photo is the Carson Mansion, located in the Eureka, California, historic District. You can find it just a few blocks west of Highway 101 where M Street & Second Street meet.

William Carson was a Lumber Baron with a mill in the area. In 1849, he moved to California from Canada, and failed to do well in the Trinity Mountains minor gold rush.

One winter, Carson hauled some logs from the Freshwater slough to the Pioneer Mill of Humboldt Bay. By 1853 he was selling shiploads of Redwood lumber, bound for San Francisco.

In 1863 Carson formed the Dolbeer and Carson Lumber Company, in partnership with John Dolbeer, who invented the Steam Donkey Engine in 1881 and revolutionize logging.

In 1884, on the eve of construction of the great home, the successful operation was producing 15,000,000 board feet of lumber annually. The milling operations combined with additional investments as far away as Southern California and at least partial ownerships in schooners used to move the lumber to booming markets on the west coast.

The 16,200 square foot house has 18 room, basement, 3 stories and tower. Built for $80,000, and designed by architect-builders Samuel Newsom and Joseph Cather Newsom, who were given free reign with the project. Its roof once was decorated with horizontal red swaths. The interior included 7 elaborate fireplaces, with 4 on the first floor and 3 on the second floor.

The Carson Mansion belongs to the Ingomar Club, and the property is not open to the public. But photos are easily taken from the street. You can find the Ingomar and Carson Mansion website with ease online.