Description

Valley Publishers, Fresno, California. Published date: 1979. Hardcover, xvi, 165 pp; 26 cm. Limited signed edition, number 148 of 200. Illustrated with black and white photographs and architectural drawings. Very good in acceptable dust jacket. Cream cloth boards with brown lettering on spine; light edge wear to covers; binding firm; inscribed (personalized) and signed by author on front free endpaper; light toning to interior pages, otherwise unmarked. Dust jacket shows moderate to heavy toning and discoloration, light to moderate edge and surface wear with a few small nicks and tears to edges and some color loss along edges and spine; now in an archival quality (removable) Brodart cover. Historical and architectural study of the Carson Mansion and the Ingomar Theatre in Eureka, California written by historian Benjamin Sacks. The book examines the life and career of lumber magnate William Carson (1825-1912) and the development of Humboldt County during the nineteenth century redwood lumber boom. Particular attention is given to the design and construction of the Carson Mansion, one of the most elaborate Victorian houses in the American West, designed by the Newsom Brothers in 1885. The work also documents Carson's construction of the Ingomar Theatre, named after the popular nineteenth century stage play Ingomar the Barbarian, and its role in the cultural life of Eureka. Illustrated throughout with period photographs, architectural drawings, and interior views of the mansion. Contents include: List of Illustrations; Preface; Foreword; A Theme; William Carson: A Sketch; Entrepreneur; Local Personality; The Descendants; Carson Mansion: An Interpretation; Milieu; Architectural Historians; Newsom Brothers, Architects; Exterior Highlights; Carson Mansion: A Narrative; Interior Highlights; Construction; Landscaping; Ingomar Theatre: A Mission; Carson Block; A Playhouse Wanted; Construction; Opening Presentation; Ingomar the Barbarian: A Catalyst; Introduction; Synopsis; Critiques; Ingomar Theatre: A Narrative; Local Scene; Ingomar Performances; Subsequent History; A Trustee; A Social Precedent; Ingomar Club; Map of Humboldt County; Bibliography; Photographic References; Index.