Carson Mansion Is Victim of Wind Damage

Humboldt Bay Fire repairs a chimney that was knocked down

Humboldt Bay Fire repairs a chimney on Carson Mansion that was knocked down in high winds on Saturday. [Photo by Battalion Chief Kurt Hulbert from Humboldt Bay Fire]

Strong winds on Saturday blew over a chimney on the Carson Mansion, according to Battalion Chief Kurt Hulbert from Humboldt Bay Fire.

Fire crews had to use the long ladder to access the roof and deal with the chimney.

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Sam
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Sam
6 years ago

… and the wolf blew, and he blew, …

REO6205
Guest
REO6205
6 years ago

That’s great! If I lose any shingles from my roof I’ll be sure to call the fire department to bring me a ladder truck. If my chimney fails it’s good to know who to call.
C’mon, why is a public agency doing work on a private building? There are commercial roofing companies and construction companies who could have handled this job.
Why should our firemen risk their lives to repair a chimney for a private club owned and operated by wealthy people?
The Ingomar Club must have a lot of influence with the fire chief.

funnylucky
Guest
funnylucky
6 years ago
Reply to  REO6205

The answer is hidden in plane sight!

Ernie Branscomb
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  REO6205

Call it a fire drill. When I was a volunteer firefighter I looked forward to calls like this. It keeps the fire crews sharp and familiar with their equipment. It’s good ‘real world’ experience. It doesn’t cost that much extra, the firefighters are being paid no matter whether they are sitting at the station or out doing something. The chimney could have fallen on someone.

The mission of a fire department is to save lives and property, and serve the public, it doesn’t have to be on fire. We often went out in the middle of the night to put someone back it bed that couldn’t get off the floor. We saved numerous cats, dogs, and birds.

It is firefighters and volunteers that are looking for the downed pilot in McCann. I suppose that there are people that get paid for that job also. Most people are happy, and grateful, to have a fire department that can do most anything almost instantly. If you needed help, whether it be, fire, flood, famine, or a trapped feline, the fire department will be a good place to look for help.

dakota reinius
Guest
dakota reinius
6 years ago

Where were they when the mudslide wasted the shops in redway? Put several good men out of workspace and cost one most of his life’s work. Public service? They closed the road only as long as needed and told them to keep their stuff out of the road

Ernie Branscomb
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  dakota reinius

They were there . As usual, they were one of the first on scene. They assumed incident command of the situation, checked for life safety hazards. They called the utility services. They made sure that there was no electrocution or flammable gas hazards. And, yes they closed the road as long as reasonable to do so.

Firefighters are trained to recognize hazardous situations and keep people and themselves away from them. No one was killed in the mudslide, no one was electrocuted, no one was killed in a gas explosion. There are hazards in every situation the the average person that, wants to help, does not think about. It does take training.

It is as difficult for a firefighter to see people loose everything as it is for anyone, maybe even more so, because they see it too often. Firefighters don’t stop mudslides or part the seas. They come close but settle for keeping people safe.

I don’t think the public would want the road to be closed even out of sympathy.

Oh, by the way, Thank You Redway Fire Department.

Gazoo
Guest
Gazoo
6 years ago

Good mornin Ernie! Thanks for shining a light for us!!

G-MAS
Guest
G-MAS
6 years ago

I can tell you were,are a Fireman!! My father-in-law and Uncle were also. It was a pleasure to hear all those duties again,we miss it. Thanks Erine,have a most pleasant Sunday

Just saying
Guest
Just saying
6 years ago
Reply to  REO6205

The ingomar is a nonprofit that preserves the Carson Mansion. Maybe the fire department used this for training and to help another local non-profit organization. Isn’t that the sort of thing we like to see happen.

meh...
Guest
meh...
6 years ago

The Carson Mansion is a treasure in our community. It would be a tragedy if it we’re to disappear. The Ingomar Club has been entrusted with it’s preservation and upkeep. I feel they do a wonderful job (no I’m not wealthy enough to be a member). I’m glad the fire department was able to assist in ensuring it stands for future generations.

stormy
Guest
stormy
6 years ago
Reply to  meh...

That building is an eyesore. Horrible paint job. Can’t stand the color. Blight on the whole town. Reminder of wealth and power and privilege. Exclusive club. Reminder of timber barons who deforested the area. Creepy old place. Like Dizzeeland north. Or Winchester Ugly House. Blech.

hmm
Guest
hmm
6 years ago
Reply to  stormy

I think its nice to look at but I agree with the rest of your comment.

Not A Baron But Not A Victim
Guest
Not A Baron But Not A Victim
6 years ago
Reply to  stormy

Well thankfully thousands of tourists a year disagree with you and come to see, not only the wide array of old growth forests that still stand, but one of the most photographed “eyesores” in the country. These tourists spend their money in our area at businesses owned by those wealthy, powerful members of this exclusive club; businesses, by the way, that were not all made from “privilege”, but gumption and hard work. These same businesses give livelihood for many members of this community, a community that wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t originally for that timber baron. I do think they should repair their own chimney, but good grief, can we please, for one second, think before we think.

visitor
Guest
visitor
6 years ago
Reply to  stormy

“Dizzeeland north”

The clocktower on the train station at Disneyland is based on Carson Mansion.
It’s inspired lots of artworks, particularly ‘haunted house’ paintings.

https://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/the-creepy-carson/Content?oid=2131479

That ^ article mentions it as inspiration for the Mystic Manor in Disneyland Hong Kong, however that isn’t correct.
Different building (Bradbury Mansion) by the same architects that designed Carson Mansion.

hmm
Guest
hmm
6 years ago
Reply to  meh...

Entrusted by whom?

WJ
Guest
WJ
6 years ago

Can I call the first department to work on my roof, too?

WJ
Guest
WJ
6 years ago

Dang typo. You know what I mean. I hope taxpayers did not pay for a job that could have been done by a contractor.

Gazoo
Guest
Gazoo
6 years ago

Glad to see them using the equipment they have, too many complainers

hmm
Guest
hmm
6 years ago

Who cares, this building is a place place for the landlord class, not a community asset. It’s a symbol of wealth generated by destruction of natural resources. I wouldn mind seeing it burn to the ground.

Richard
Guest
Richard
6 years ago
Reply to  hmm

Yes, let us destroy all the history we don’t agree with.

Guest,
Guest
Guest,
6 years ago
Reply to  hmm

Omg is your house a community asset? Every building is made from resources genius

Just A Thought
Guest
Just A Thought
6 years ago

I think “repairs” was the wrong word. If I had to guess, they were probably assessing the damage to to structure and potential for further damage or flying bricks and mitigating those dangers.

Ice
Guest
Ice
6 years ago
Reply to  Just A Thought

Yes, all they did was to quickly secure it from hazards. They would do that for anyone. Contractors will have to be called in to repair it

judi
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Ice

yup. thank you for giving these other foolish commenters a bit of reality. the fire dept personnel are inspecting the chimney as part of their jobs of making this hazard safe.

visitor
Guest
visitor
6 years ago
Reply to  judi

Exactly. That chimney in bad working order could cause an immense fire.
Their work there was actually ‘fire prevention’.

onlooker
Guest
onlooker
6 years ago

Firefighters are first responders. They arrived to reduce the likelihood of injury resulting from structural damage. The busted chimney presented a hazard. Now it’s the job of the Ingomar Club to repair their property.

If your chimney topples, call the fire department to help you reduce the hazard it presents. Then you will have the job of repairing the damage. And if you call for assistance and you get turned down, you’ll have a valid complaint (assuming that damage to your property poses a hazard and your first responders ignore you).

History First
Guest
History First
6 years ago

The Carson Mansion, yes, is a part of our history. William Carson came to Eureka in the 1850s, working in the woods before pairing up with John Dolbeer and the Bay Mill. Instead of being an absentee mill owner, and moving to San Francisco, like his partner Dolbeer, Carson stayed. His first house was much smaller, but he built his mansion, hiring his mill workers during an economic recession, when other wise they would have been unemployed. He also hired them to finish work inside the house. So, is it an example of conspicuous consumption of the gilded age? Yes. Is it also an example of the patriarchal lumberman who cared for his employees? Yes. So, as with all history, there is more to the story. I consider us lucky to have such a building still in existence more than 130 years after it was built because it does stir debate and comment, and perhaps a bit of understanding of life 130 years ago that a book alone can not capture. Nature and Man are not kind to buildings in Humboldt. Many historic structures have been torn down to become parking lots in Eureka. The members of the Ingomar club did save the building from destruction. While I am neither male or rich, and do not believe in the sanctity of the members, I do appreciate the work they do to preserve the building. Ultimately, I would rather have a unique building with an interesting history than a slab of asphalt burying our history.

lauracooskey
Guest
lauracooskey
6 years ago
Reply to  History First

Thank you for your reasonable and positive comment.

The Apache Warrior
Guest
The Apache Warrior
6 years ago

Hey Stormy, if you don’t like the colors or anything else about this building, there are other States or Counties that you can always move to and get away from such horrible sights, blights or anything else that disturbs your vision. As a 30 year member of two Fire Departments, we did this type of service all of the time. It’s called DUTY and Community Service to ANYONE or ANY GROUP OR ORGANIZATION THAT NEEDS HELP IN TIME OF NEED OR SAFETY. Need help moving, there are volunteer groups that can help you.

Cowabunga
Guest
Cowabunga
6 years ago

Was there a high wind warning issued by anyone? I couldn’t find one. A lot of trees cracked and broke apart in my neighborhood, and the power was out for a day.