The Carter House Inns

In 1978, Mark Carter found the plans to a beautiful Victorian home designed by the Newsom Brothers in a thrift store right here in Eureka. The home had originally been completed in 1885, known as the Murphy House which stood in San Francisco until 1906. As many know, 1906 was the year of the famous San Francisco earthquake and fire, in which the Murphy House was sadly lost. It was upon the discovery of these plans that Mr. Carter set out to recreate the building in his hometown of Eureka. 

As an experienced builder, he found an ideal piece of land just blocks away from Humboldt Bay Harbor to construct this dream home for his family. Amidst many Eureka Victorians, the Carter House was completed in 1982, where it now provides hotel lodging for guests to Humboldt County and stands just a block away from another famous Newsom Brother design – the historic Carson Mansion. 

While the Carters initially intended for the Carter House to become their family home, they unfortunately faced delayed construction and the extremely high cost of intricate Victorian moldings. However, they quickly found their calling as innkeepers, opening the doors of their 5-bedroom home as a modest bed & breakfast. It wasn’t before long that the Carters began to expand their business to include additional buildings, starting with the Hotel Carter located cornerwise from their home at the intersection of 3rd Street and L Street.