CARSON MANSION EUREKA CALIFORNIA - HOME OF A LUMBER BARON

If there is only one photo of an American Victorian building in an architecture history book, it will usually be of this house. Carson owned a sawmill on brow of a hill next to the ocean bay in Eureka, California. There was a recession, so lumber sales were very low. To keep paying his millworkers, he had them build a new home 1884-1885. It kept his workers paid for until the economy returned to purchasing lumber. In the 1800s they did not use the terms "Recession" or "Depression". Back then a term for similar conditions was called a "Panic".

In the 1800s, financial downturns could be caused by many people withdrawing their money from bank accounts caused by wide spread panic caused by many people loosing confidence in the security of their money in a bank. Panics could be caused by the lack of financial controls, regulation and when someone misusing a financial system, manipulating elements of the economy with ploys such as cornering a market of a commodity, selling counterfeit shares of stock, false news - things that developed during the developments of the Industrial Revolution and perpetrated by some captains of industry known as Robber Barons.

William Carson was apparently a good captain of industry. His employees were kept busy with all the millwork, painting and many ornaments were hand carved. This house has only four bedrooms. A docent said it really is not a big house. There are many mansions with much larger area. Carson also built another house across the street as a wedding gift to his son J. Milton Carson, an elaborate Queen Anne style home with pink as the field color, white highlights and elements with the Eastlake style. J. Milton Carson House 1889 - NRHP Historic District. Newsom and Newsom Architects designed the home and many others in northern California.

The city of Eureka has about 20 blocks of Victorian buildings. The city has fine arts, hotels, restaurants and it worth a week vacation. Airline flights land nearby in Arcadia. There are also Victorian homes in other towns nearby such as Ferndale to the south by the Pacific Ocean.

In the Twentieth Century, after 1950, the Carson house was saved from decay when a private organization was formed to be it's caretaker, the Ingomar Club. Only club members may visit the home. (The interiors are awesome! Dark wood paneling and moldings everywhere!) To be a club member you must volunteer as a docent, be able to give tours of the building while giving intellient talks about its history and architecture. To be a docent, typically a person needs to be resident of the area. However there is an exception for guest docents. The estate is at 143 M Street next to the oceanside great bay in Eureka, far northern California, zip code 95502-1354.

Includes 97,000 feet of white mahogany.

Carson Mansion, one of Humboldt County's most revered treasures
http://www.ingomar.org/
The president is a great guy! Tell him I said, "Hi!" and "Thanks again!"

http://www.eurekaheritage.org/the_carson_mansion.htm

Eureka CA
http://www.city-data.com/city/Eureka-California.html

No Known Restrictions: The Panic - Scenes in Wall Street Wednesday Morning, May 14 drawn by Schell and Hogan, 1884 Wood engraving.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pingnews/2870453162/

Panic of 1884 affected railway construction as well as earnings
http://books.google.com/books?id=EX55AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA336&lpg=PA336&...

It seems that there varieties of Panics in 12-17 year cycles in the second half of the 1800s.

19th Century Financial Panics by Robert McNamara
http://history1800s.about.com/od/thegildedage/a/financialpanics.htm

Treasury Statement 1860 to July 1, 1880, Democratic Administrative Blundering from 1836 to 1848— Panic of 1837...Panic of 1857
http://books.google.com/books?id=i5sGAAAAMAAJ&pg=PR10&lpg=PR10&dq...

The Age of the Trusts (1880-1910) by Charles Geisst
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/oso/476300/1999/00000001/00000001/art00005

Underwriters Exchange organized Effect of Panic of 1873
http://books.google.com/books?id=THd5AAAAMAAJ&pg=PP15&lpg=PP15&dq...

Panic of 1873 failure of the Jay Cooke Company
http://www.nps.gov/archive/jeff/LewisClark2/Timelines/PostExpedition/1871to18...

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Carson
• House
• Eureka
• California
• Lumber
• Baron
• Mansion
• Home
• 1880s
• Panic
• Recession
• Depression
• redwood

[ViewHome]

Thank you! New Zealand - A place I felt to visit for a long time. Is there a construction boom there? A need for architects? Designers?

[sgakaz]

Try googleing ingomar.org a virtual(with pictures only)tour of the interior, and it's history.

[ViewHome]

@sgakaz Yes ww.ingomar.org is one of the links in the "more info" text below the video activated by clicking the downward arrow at lower right. Ingomar has great photos. There are also other related links at the bottom of the more info description. ~~~~~~~~~~ Thank You for Stopping by ~~~~~~~~~~~~

Also I see interesting Eureka videos in the related videos in sidebar.

[ViewHome]

Thank you so much. I am glad to demonstrate the power of good design.

Music is something I could add to the video. However which one?

A style will affect people differently, many may like the choice, many may be indifferent and some be disinterested - that may be the best result of a good choice for music. I have yet to be inspired to an appropriate score, but when it comes I will be bold to add it.

[ViewHome]

@ViewHome Please note presenting the photos, editing the video with movement in the stills does help keep interest. What I find is that many people do not dwell on details, however if presented they are astounded like you. Probably you can imagine the labor of the 300 mill workers, their dialogues, conundrums and exhilarations so that the watching is entralling.

[ViewHome]

@ViewHome We need to find ways to do such community projects again. Like the Gothic churches in Europe or flatlander barn raisings. Where has all the funding gone?

[rddl1990]

Is Eureka a good place to live?

[045781]

@ViewHome

Yes the music score has to be right other wise it kills it.

[613RL]

How much?

[NcalBiker]

Had my 21'st Birthday dinner, and first (legal) drink there. Too bad this post didn't get to go inside.

[ebautista417]

This is incredible, simply amazing.

[ucsteve]

Excellent camera. Mine, not so crisp.

[burgerwisdim]

Such an incredible artistic era in all continents, right across a variety of structures and interior spacial scenarios. Come to New Zealand one day and check over the rough-as-guts travelers' hotels from the Colonial Period and some of the more functional stuff. This is stunning, thank you.