The Pink Lady

History moves in mysterious ways. Early on, much of Humboldt County prospered economically and displayed that prosperity in grand Victorian architecture. Around the Bay, the wealth largely arose from timber, fishing and shipbuilding. In the Eel River area, it arose from dairying and led to a plethora of impressive commercial and domestic Victorian architecture.

                 But in the mid-20th century, prosperity from all sources declined, and so that period’s rush to urban renewal and “modern” architecture did not take hold. True, a few grand mansions, deemed too old fashioned and in-the-way, did fall to the wrecking ball – much to the continued mourning of historic preservationists. In fact, these losses spurred the formation of the Eureka Heritage Society.

                 On the whole, however, Humboldt County remained in an architectural time capsule. And that, ironically, has led to the area’s new source of prosperity – tourism. Free-spending tourists come to visit the remaining redwoods as well as the structures built with timber’s wealth.

                Without a doubt, the biggest draw for architectural tourists is Eureka’s Carson Mansion at Second and M Streets. But when they turn around, these visitors enjoy another gem – the Pink Lady. This landmark has a story of its own.

                 In 1884, lumber baron William Carson, attempting to keep his skilled workers employed during a financial downturn, used local redwood and exotic woods shipped in from around the world to build his grand Victorian mansion. Owning a large tract of land around his lumber yards, he then had another, only slightly more modest, mansion built as a gift for his oldest son, John Milton Carson on his marriage to Mary Amelia Bell in 1889.

                 Both mansions were designed by well-known San Francisco architects Samuel and Joseph Newsom (reportedly the same family as California’s current Governor).  In constructing Milton’s home, local redwood with some of the most desirable and costly grain was selected. Today the house is considered an outstanding example of two styles of Victorian architecture, East Lake and Queen Ann.

                 Milton Carson and his wife (called Minnie) lived in the house until his father William died in 1912. Milton then went on to head the extensive Carson enterprises, and the couple moved across the street to the larger mansion. Their original house changed hands several times after that, eventually becoming a rooming house. In the 1930s, it was willed by the owner at the time to two sisters living in Germany, but when the US entered WWII, the American government confiscated German owned property. In 1951, it was auctioned off and bought by Lloyd Bridges Sr., father and grandfather of well-known movie and TV actors. It continued as a rooming house and apartments until it was bought by Eureka realtor and former mayor, Robert Madsen in 1964.

                 After that, the house served variously as a restaurant, an art gallery, an antique shop and business offices. In the 1990s, Madsen’s son, Jim Madsen, launched an effort to restore and renovate the then somewhat deteriorated historic building. At this time, the pink color scheme was adopted, supposedly to contrast with the darker more masculine looking mansion across the street. Thus, the popular name, “the Pink Lady”.

                Today, her story and that of Humboldt’s other Victorian treasures is preserved in the files of the Humboldt County Historical Society – housed appropriately in another architectural gem, the turn-of-the-century Gross-Wells-Barnum House at 8th and H Streets in Eureka. Come visit!