Solidly built from the ground up, the house has separate foundationsfor each wall - inside and out. The framing and principal structuraland decorative members are entirely of redwood. The principalentrance faces west and the general design of the house is orientedto this view. In type, the Carson House is a Stick-Villa, and revealsthe superficial ornamental changes in the Villa of the 1880's fromsuch a Villa as the present Governor's Mansion in Sacramento of 1877.The lofty, more or less off-center tower and picturesque massing arecharacteristic of the later Villas of 19th century American architecture.
In the tower especially, and in the rear of the house, one can seeinterest in stick or strip articulation - so common in Californiahouses of the 1880's. Reduplicated strips frame the corners of thevertical rhythms from story to story. Most of the upper exterior wallsurfaces have variations on shingle patterns - either of an undulanttype or a more scale-like type (the latter especially characteristicof the later 1880's). With its grotesquely steep gables and delayedVictorian Gothic barge boards, the house reflects that interest inmedievalizing forms which produced Stick, Shingle and Queen Annedesigns. (Rounded towers at the rear of the Carson House also suggestQueen Anne.) There are, of course, some "original" decorative features which make this house virtually unique. In general, architects ofthe period drew upon 16th century Mannerist sources without alwaysrealizing what they were doing. The bulbous, out-size, eccentric"spindle" pillars of the principal porch which encircles the west andsouth sides of the house, the bizarre broken and canted pediment overthe main stair, and the extremely tall, constricted feeling of ornamentalparts - this is Mannerist, The exact source is more easilyseen as Eastlake patterns modified by an interest in later l6th centuryEnglish and Italian details; but the end result is a special mixturewhich is grandiosely hideous in the inspired manner of certain Roman"follies" of the 16th century. There is, fortunately, only one suchhouse in California.
There have been minor modifications of the exterior (removal of unsteadyexterior chimneys, removal of finials, etc); but the generaleffect is virtually the same today as it was in the photograph publishedin Souvenir of Humboldt County in 1902, when the extremely starkflavor of the first years of the house had been softened by growingplants. The original iron balustrade remains on the second floor,encircling the area above the main porch and providing a balcony ofgreat amplitude at this level. The iron cresting on the roofs of thethird floor either has been removed or replaced with wood balustrading.The house has been repainted. Some additionshave been made to suit the purposes of the Ingomar Club, but they areat the side of the house and do not alter its original character.
This great three story house, with frontal tower, rose from a fullbasem*nt. The mansion contained eighteen rooms in its original form.A squared vestibule with double doors (the outer door is a slidingone; the inner doors are a pair of tall wood doors with stained glasswindows and stained glass transom above) leads into the interior.The principal rooms of the main, first floor are a pair of parlorsand the dining room; the latter is said to have been modeled on theMaximilian dining room at Chapultepec Castle in Mexico. The relationshipis certainly not direct, although there are similarities in shapeand general character; the dining room at Chapultepec is much largerin scale than that at Eureka, and the wood dadoes, overmantels andcupboards differ in detail. Primavera wood is especially utilized inthe great stair hall and staircase of the Carson House. The parlors have Mexican onyx mantels and either a carved mahogany and redwoodovermantel with stained glass window (left parlor) or large mirror(right parlor). Parlor walls are either painted or fabric covered,and do not presently reflect the original wall coverings. Ceilingsthroughout the first floor have raised plaster geometric patterns,vaguely suggestive of the ceilings of the l6th century. At thecornice level are elaborate carved wood bracketed cornices, or lesselaborate plaster cornices. Here the approach of more "correct"Period ornament can be seen in rows of egg and dart or other modifiedClassical moldings. The wood work, particularly in the vestibule andentrance stair hall, on the other hand, reflects the bizarre localvariations on Eastlake, Tudor and Mannerist sources. Plaster rosettesin the centers of the principal rooms' ceilings once focussed attentionon gasoliers; the present fixtures are electric and date from the 20'sand 50's of the 20th century. Occasional pieces of furniture survivefrom the first period of the house (notably the massive oak table andtapestry-covered oak chairs of the dining room).
At the landing of the great main staircase is a stained glass windowfacing west, with panels depicting the arts and sciences. There isa large drawing room on the second floor - also with an onyx mantel,surmounted by a massive mirror. Perhaps the strangest single featureof the second floor is the hallway with its horseshoe arches of carvedwood - now painted. Cornice details on this floor, as on the first,reflect more "correct" Period styling - having Classical moldings.The hall walls are now covered in grass cloth. Doors and door framesare similar on both first and second floors; pseudo-fluted pilastersof an entirely "original" design frame doors with three verticalrecessed panels over four rectilineer recessed panels. Continuingthe frame over the door are grouped moldings approaching Classicaltypes. Hardware is generally original; lighting fixtures on thesecond floor are modern.
The third floor has a ballroom decorated with paintings, etchings andengravings from Gump's in San Francisco; there is also a billiard roomat this level, with ranks of cue racks. An elevator has been installedin the house. Magnificent views can be had fromthe tower.
The Carson House occupied virtually a city block. Surrounding the great wooden mansion are spreading lawns, with a path through miniaturewoods to the former greenhouse, vegetable garden and orchard. At therear of the house was a wood shed of generous proportions and acarriage house.
