The Ingomar Club serves a dual mission of the restoration and preservation of the unique historical building and grounds of the Carson Mansion, while providing fine dining and social experiences for its members.
The selection of a suitable name for the newly formed Club presented its members with numerous difficulties. Most of the charter members felt that the name should be distinctive, and that it should allude in some way to William Carson, the pioneer builder of the Mansion. The name “Ingomar Club” was finally chosen as the one best meeting these requirements. It was derived from the fabulous old Ingomar Theatre on the third floor of the Buhne Building in Eureka (shown at right), which was built by William Carson and named for his favorite play “Ingomar the Barbarian.”
CARSON MANSION ALMOST DEMOLISHED!
The last William Carson heirs to reside in the Mansion moved to San Francisco in the late 1940s leaving the Mansion unoccupied. When the heirs could not find a buyer for the elaborate and finely crafted Mansion in 1949, it was at risk of being demolished in order to develop the prime multi-acre site for alternate uses. Even the City of Eureka declined the opportunity to purchase this unique, historically significant piece of property due to the high cost of maintaining the Mansion.

During the same time period, Mr. J.H. Crothers and Mr. Carl Gustafson were holding a series of meetings with other Eureka businessmen to discuss the formation of a men’s club in Eureka comparable to those in other progressive communities.

One meeting brought forth the suggestion that the historic Carson Mansion at 143 M St., Eureka, might possibly be obtained for a clubhouse. This proved to be true. An option to purchase the Carson property was obtained from the owners in October 1949.

The purchase was formally completed early in 1950, and the new club was modeled after the long established “Humboldt Club” of which William Carson was a founding member. Since that time, Ingomar Club members have embraced stewardship of the property spending several million dollars of private funds to improve and maintain the Mansion and its grounds.

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