The Pink Lady of Eureka

Located on 2nd Street and M and across the street from the Carson Mansion in Eureka is this Classic Queen Anne Eastlake style Victorian home known as "The Pink Lady". Designed by the famed San Francisco Newsom Brothers and architects of the Carson Mansion, the Pink Lady was built in 1889 by William Carson as a wedding gift to his son J. Milton Carson. During the 1940's the property left the Carson family and became a boarding house and eventually fell into disrepair. In 1963 the property was purchased by Robert Madsen, a local real estate broker and former city councilman and mayor of Eureka. It was immediately restored to its former glory and has been looked after and maintained by the Madsen family ever since. During the restorations in 1963-1964, a decision to paint the mansion bright pink was made in order to contrast its color with the dark color of the Carson Mansion.

I've also read on the internet that over the years the house had many owners. It was sold by J. Milton Carson in 1920 and was operated as a boarding house by two sisters in Germany who had inherited the property. In 1942 it was seized as Nazi property by the U.S. government and later sold at public auction in 1951 to Lloyd Bridges and Associates. He was the father of actor Lloyd Bridges.


I much preferred this smaller pink mansion with its domed turret to the large and ostentatious Carson Mansion. While both are exquisite and beautiful, the Pink Lady seems a bit more unpretentious and homey! The mansion is a private residence and tours are not available.

I shot these images near sunset and like the way the golden light makes the pink glow!