Carson Mansion | Eureka

Built 1884 - 1886 for William Carson, Lumber Baron

by Mario Vaden

 

Carson Mansion in Eureka: 43 miles from Redwood National Park by Orick, and 84 miles from Jedediah Smith redwoods by Crescent City to the north. 42 miles from Humboldt Redwoods State Park to the south.

This house has historical connections to the redwoods and logging and is one of the most photographed Victorian, Queen Anne architecture buildings in the United States. There are other very nice historical houses across the street and down the block. Like Carter House Inns for example. A few pics may be in my redwood albums.

If you enjoy old architecture, this would be a fine add-on for your redwood vacation. Not even a minute off the main highway. The old town adjacent and harbor below offer a great spot to stretch and take a stroll.

The building in the photo is the Carson Mansion. You can find it just a few blocks west off Highway 101 where M Street & Second Street meet. Headed south, go right on M street and headed north turn left.

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.

 

Read more below this image of Carson Mansion

 

 

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 rooms, basement, 3 stories and tower. It was 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, which bought it from family decendents in 1950, and the property is not open to the public. Photos are easily taken from the street. You can find the Ingomar and Carson Mansion website online.

Apparently, Mr. William Carson built the residential edifice to keep about 100 of his workers employed during a slow period of the lumber industry. The Carson Mansion construction took about 2 years to complete.

The Newsoms also designed the J. Milton Carson House, locally known as The Pink Lady, which William Carson built across the street in 1889 as a wedding gift for his son. The photo at right of The Pink Lady was taken from the sidewalk in front of the Carson Mansion: 2010. Facing the same direction behind the Pink Lady, is the Carter House and old town.

 

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For more things to do in that area, visit the Eureka Chamber of Commerce site. They also provide an online visitor guide..

 

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