Ingomar Club

Last updated
Ingomar Club
Named afterThe play, Ingomar the Barbarian
Formation1950
FounderJ.H. Crothers and Carl Gustafson
Legal statusPrivate social club
PurposeSocial; Preservation of the Carson Mansion
Location
  • United States
  • Eureka, California
AffiliationsInternational Associate Clubs

The Ingomar Club is a private club that owns and is based in the historic Carson Mansion 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" [1] More recently, the club defines its mission as one of maintaining the historic home while providing dining and social outlets for its members.

Contents

The club is a member of the International Associate Clubs and participates in reciprocal agreements with member clubs. [2]

History

Formation of the club and the early years

The club's sign in 2018 with the mansion in the background. EurekaHistoricDistrict-CarsonMansion3.jpg
The club's sign in 2018 with the mansion in the background.

In the late 1940s, two Eureka businessmen, J.H. Crothers and Carl Gustafson, 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 that had been built by lumber baron William Carson, who had been a member of the Humboldt Club. Since his heirs had moved to San Francisco, the club founders were able to negotiate a price of $35,000. [1]

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 written by Maria Ann Lovell. [3] [4] 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.

Originally a men's club, the club has since admitted women with equal access as men. [5]

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. [6] After the 1992 Cape Mendocino earthquakes, 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. [1]

Lawsuits

In 1974, Ellen Stern Harris, vice chairman of the California Coastal Commission, 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." [7] 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. [8] 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." [9]

In 2011 and in 2018, there were sexual harassment lawsuits related to the club. [10] [11] [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eureka, California</span> City in California, United States

Eureka is a city and the county seat of Humboldt County, located on the North Coast of California. The city is located on U.S. Route 101 on the shores of Humboldt Bay, 270 miles (435 km) north of San Francisco and 100 miles (161 km) south of the Oregon border. At the 2020 census, the population of the city was 26,512 and the population of the greater Eureka area was 48,119.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sexual harassment</span> Unwanted sexual attention or advances

Sexual harassment is a type of harassment involving the use of explicit or implicit sexual overtones, including the unwelcome and inappropriate promises of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. Sexual harassment can be physical and/or a demand or request for sexual favors, making sexually colored remarks, showing pornography, and any other unwelcome physical, verbal, or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment includes a range of actions from verbal transgressions to sexual abuse or assault. Harassment can occur in many different social settings such as the workplace, the home, school, or religious institutions. Harassers or victims can be of any gender.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlie Rose</span> American TV interviewer and journalist (born 1942)

Charles Peete Rose Jr. is an American journalist and talk show host. From 1991 to 2017, he was the host and executive producer of the talk show Charlie Rose on PBS and Bloomberg LP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garrick Club</span> Club in London

The Garrick Club is a private members' club in London, founded in 1831 as a club for "actors and men of refinement to meet on equal terms". It is one of the oldest members' clubs in the world. Its 1,500 members include many actors, writers, journalists, leading arts practitioners, at least 10 serving members of parliament (MPs) and dozens of members of the House of Lords, many heads of public institutions alongside businessmen, and at least 160 senior legal professionals and members of the judiciary including King's Counsel (KCs), Supreme Court and Court of Appeals judges. For most of its history, the Garrick was a gentlemen's club with membership customarily restricted to men. However, in May 2024 club members voted to acknowledge that existing rules had never explicitly excluded women as members and that there was no impediment to their election.

A dining club (UK) or eating club (US) is a social group, usually requiring membership, which meets for dinners and discussion on a regular basis. They may also often have guest speakers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Whitney House</span> Historic house in Michigan, United States

The David Whitney House is a historic mansion located at 4421 Woodward Avenue in Midtown Detroit, Michigan. The building was constructed during the 1890s as a private residence. It was restored in 1986 and is now a restaurant. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magic Castle</span> Magicians club in Los Angeles, California

The Magic Castle is a performance venue, restaurant, and clubhouse for the Academy of Magical Arts for magicians and magic enthusiasts in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California. The Academy was started in 1952 by William Larsen Sr., who founded Genii magazine in 1936. The Castle was opened on January 2, 1963 by brothers Bill and Milt Larsen, sons of William Sr and Bill's wife Irene Larsen. Once a private residence, the Castle was declared a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1989.

Membership discrimination in California social clubs has been based on sex, race, religion, political views and social standing. In the late 1980s, a successful effort was made in many of the clubs to open up membership first to racial or religious minorities and then to women. Strictly private clubs that are not open to the public, and for which tax exemptions are not claimed, maintain their right to discriminate on the basis of sex or race, and all clubs can discriminate on the basis of social standing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carson Mansion</span> Historic building in Eureka, California

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 America." It is one of the most written about and photographed Victorian houses in California and possibly also in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humboldt Bay Woolen Mill</span> United States historic place

Humboldt Bay Woolen Mill manufactured woolen cloth from 1901 to after World War II. The mill was listed as a National Historic Monument but demolished by the City of Eureka in 1987.

Marcy Burstiner is a professor of journalism at CalPoly Humboldt. She authored the textbook Investigative Reporting: From Premise to Publication, now in its second edition, published by Taylor Francis in 2018. From 2006 until 2017 she wrote a monthly column called "The Media Maven" on local media and First Amendment issues for the North Coast Journal, an alternative newsweekly based in Eureka, California. She also helped to found the literary magazine Six Hens. She also serves as the Educational News Director for the non-profit organization News Decoder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Debra Katz</span> American civil rights and employment lawyer

Debra S. Katz is an American civil rights and employment lawyer and a founding partner of Katz Banks Kumin in Washington, D.C. She is best known for representing alleged victims of sexual assault and sexual harassment, notably Christine Blasey Ford, Charlotte Bennett, Vanessa Tyson, Chloe Caras, and accusers of Congressmen Pat Meehan and Eric Massa, and whistleblowers facing retaliation, including most recently Dr. Rick Bright. Katz's primary practice areas at her firm are employment and whistleblower law, where she represents victims of workplace discrimination and retaliation.

The 1952 Humboldt State Lumberjacks football team represented Humboldt State College—now known as California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt—as a member of the Far Western Conference (FWC) during the 1952 college football season. Led by second-year head coach Phil Sarboe, the Lumberjacks compiled an overall record of 7–1 with a mark of 3–0 in conference play, winning the FWC title, and outscored their opponents 266 to 53 for the season, an average score of 33–7. The defense yielded more than a touchdown in only one game. The team played home games at the Redwood Bowl in Arcata, California.

The 1953 Humboldt State Lumberjacks football team represented Humboldt State College—now known as California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt—as a member of the Far Western Conference (FWC) during the 1953 college football season. Led by third-year head coach Phil Sarboe, the Lumberjacks compiled an overall record of 6–2 with a mark of 2–1 in conference play, placing second in the FWC, and outscored their opponents 122–39 to for the season. The defense yielded more than a touchdown in only two games and had four shutouts. The team played home games at the Redwood Bowl in Arcata, California.

The 1954 Humboldt State Lumberjacks football team represented Humboldt State College—now known as California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt—as a member of the Far Western Conference (FWC) during the 1954 college football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Phil Sarboe, the Lumberjacks compiled an overall record of 5–5 with a mark of 3–2 in conference play, placing third in the FWC, and outscored their opponents 174 to 116 for the season. The team played home games at the Redwood Bowl in Arcata, California.

The 1955 Humboldt State Lumberjacks football team represented Humboldt State College—now known as California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt—as a member of the Far Western Conference (FWC) during the 1955 college football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Phil Sarboe, the Lumberjacks compiled an overall record of 7–3–1 with a mark of 2–2–1 in conference play, placing fourth in the FWC, and outscored their opponents 254 to 171 for the season. The team played home games at the Redwood Bowl in Arcata, California.

The 1956 Humboldt State Lumberjacks football team represented Humboldt State College—now known as California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt—as a member of the Far Western Conference (FWC) during the 1956 college football season. Led by sixth-year head coach Phil Sarboe, the Lumberjacks compiled an overall record of 9–2 with a mark of 4–1 in conference play, sharing the FWC title with the Cal Aggies and San Francisco State. The team outscored its opponents 254 to 171 for the season. Humboldt State played home games at the Redwood Bowl in Arcata, California.

Ellen Land-Weber is an American photographer and author.

Samuel Newsom was a Canadian-born American architect. Together with his brother Joseph Cather Newsom founded the architecture firm Newsom and Newsom, practicing in Northern and Southern California. Their most celebrated house is the Carson Mansion in Eureka, California.

Jim Dines is an American retired politician and attorney who served as a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives from January 20, 2015, to December 31, 2018.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "North Coast Journal – Nov. 1995 – ESSAY – Shoot-out at the Ingomar". www.northcoastjournal.com. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  2. ↑ "Ingomar Club – International Associate Clubs". www.iacworldwide.com. Retrieved 2023-03-31.
  3. ↑ Stansberry, Linda (2016-03-14). "Five Things You Might Have Missed in This Weeks' Cover Story". North Coast Journal.
  4. ↑ LeBaron, Gayle (July 6, 1988). "Gayle LeBaron's Notebook, Step Inside" . Newspapers.com. The Press Democrat. p. 2. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  5. ↑ "Club Members – Ingomar Club". www.ingomar.org. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  6. ↑ "North Coast Journal – Nov. 1995 – COVER STORY – Carson Mansion, the inside story". www.northcoastjournal.com. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  7. ↑ Siegal, Barry (1976-12-08). "Gentlemen's Agreement vs. the Law" . The Los Angeles Times. p. 38. Retrieved 2021-01-10– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Ingomar Club is Charged With Bias" . The Los Angeles Times. 1974-07-25. p. 78. Retrieved 2021-01-10– via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "The State: Women Win Guest Rights at Male Club" . The Los Angeles Times. 1978-03-03. p. 142. Retrieved 2021-01-10– via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Lawsuit filed against Eureka's Ingomar Club: Employee alleges sexual harassment, hostile work environment against club, fellow employee" . Times-Standard. 2011-03-03. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  11. ↑ "Proceedings in Ingomar Club sexual harassment case bogged down" . Times-Standard. 2011-06-04. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  12. ↑ "Ingomar Club, former employee drop demurrer; sexual harassment suit moves forward" . Times-Standard. 2011-04-26. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.