The Ingomar Club is a

private club A club is an voluntary association, association of people united by a common interest or goal. A service club, for example, exists for voluntary or charitable activities. There are clubs devoted to hobbies and sports, social activities clubs, po ...

that owns and is based in the historic

Carson Mansion The Carson Mansion is a large Victorian house located in Old Town, Eureka, California. Regarded as one of the premier examples of Queen Anne style architecture in the United States, the house is "considered the most grand Victorian home in Amer ...

in Eureka, California, one of the most notable examples of Victorian architecture in the United States. According to researcher Wally Graves, the club was founded "to own and maintain a club headquarters for the meetings and enjoyment of its members; to create, establish and maintain an association of gentlemen for the preservation and protection of historic 'Carson Mansion'; to promote interest among its members in athletics, yachting, golf, swimming and related activities; to promote good fellowship, and to associate together those interested in the field of fine arts, music and culture"Graves, Wally
"Shoot-out at the Ingomar"
North Coast Journal, October 1995. More recently, the club defines its mission as one of maintaining the historic home while providing dining and social outlets for its members. The club is a member of the International Associate Clubs and participates in reciprocal agreements with member clubs.

History

Formation of the club and the early years

In the late 1940s, two Eureka businessmen, J.H. Crothers and

Carl Gustafson Carl may refer to: *Carl, Georgia, city in USA *Carl, West Virginia, an unincorporated community *Carl (name), includes info about the name, variations of the name, and a list of people with the name *Carl², a TV series * "Carl", an episode of tel ...

, came up with the idea for what is now the Ingomar Club. Modeling their vision after an established organization, the Humboldt Club, they and other prominent members of local society began meeting and looking for a physical location to house the club. In particular, they focused on a vacant

house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...

that had been built by lumber baron William Carson, who had been a member of the

Humboldt Club Humboldt may refer to: People * Alexander von Humboldt, German natural scientist, brother of Wilhelm von Humboldt * Wilhelm von Humboldt, German linguist, philosopher, and diplomat, brother of Alexander von Humboldt Fictional characters * Hu ...

. Since his heirs had moved to San Francisco, the club founders were able to negotiate a price of $35,000. The Ingomar Club incorporated in May 1950, taking as its name after Carson's Ingomar Theater, itself named for Carson's favorite play, ''

Ingomar the Barbarian ''Ingomar, the Barbarian'' is a 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. It has been placed in the same genre as the theatrical toga play.Richards, Jeffrey"Review: ''Playing out the Empire: Ben-Hur and other Toga Plays ...

''. Once the purchase of the Carson house had been finalized, members hired staff to begin a conversion process to convert the kitchen area to commercial grade and to upgrade the house for heavy use by members. Additionally, club members determined to add a large, new section, spending considerable money in the process. When the house was changed from use as a private residence to a private club, elements and remodeling occurred that led to minor changes in the internal layout of the house to allow for offices and dining areas to replace living areas. The house was spared massive redesign, however, because the club built a large addition to the north elevation (bay side) to be the site of the large bar, dining room, and meeting facility needed for member functions.

Restoration of the building

In 1988, the organization management began a restoration process that made significant progress in restoring aspects of the house back to the days of its original owner.Graves, Wally
"Carson Mansion, the inside story"
North Coast Journal, October 1995. After the

1992 Cape Mendocino earthquakes The 1992 Cape Mendocino earthquakes (or 1992 Petrolia earthquakes) occurred along the Lost Coast of Northern California on April 25 and 26. The three largest events were the M7.2 Fault (geology)#Dip-slip faults, thrust mainshock that struck near ...

, the house suffered damage as it did in 1932, requiring the club to add a surcharge to member dues to complete significant repair and restoration work.

Lawsuits

In 1974,

Ellen Stern Harris Ellen is a female given name, a diminutive of Elizabeth, Eleanor, Elena and Helen. Ellen was the 609th most popular name in the U.S. and the 17th in Sweden in 2004. People named Ellen include: *Ellen Adarna (born 1988), Filipino actress *Ellen A ...

, vice chairman of the

California Coastal Commission The California Coastal Commission (CCC) is a state agency within the California Natural Resources Agency with quasi-judicial control of land and public access along the state's coastline. Its mission as defined in the California Coastal Act is " ...

, was not allowed to join her fellow commissioners for an informal tour of the Carson Mansion because the private Ingomar Club, housed there, admitted women "only on specified days." The state attorney-general's office filed suit against the club in July 1974 after the Ingomar board of directors decided not to change the rule. It was settled in early 1978 with the club agreeing that women have the right to enter "for any business, civic or political function." It did not involve membership, though, "since state law does not prevent a private social club from barring members on the grounds of sex, religion or race." In 2011 and in 2018, there were sexual harassment lawsuits related to the club.

References

External links