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All the United States California Eureka Abigail's Elegant Victorian Mansion
Abigail's Elegant Victorian Mansion is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

Abigail's Elegant Victorian Mansion

Experience the "opulence, grace, and grandeur of Eureka's most famous Victorian Inn."

Eureka, California

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Rebecca Grossman-Kahn
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Second Parlow  
Stuffed turkey in the corner  
Looks normal from the outside.  
Turkey close-up  
Sign explaining the electric light switch.  
More is never enough.  
Front parlor looking into second parlor.  
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About

A combination bed and breakfast, living history museum, and eccentric collection of Victorian-themed memorabilia, Abigail's Elegant Victorian Mansion is a place that truly has to be seen to be believed.

It's an 1888 Victorian home nestled in a quiet neighborhood along the rugged Northern California coast that from the outside, appears to be a classic Stick-Eastlake or Queen Anne Victorian, retaining its original gingerbread decoration and pale gray paint color. This house is different from the other 19th century homes remaining in the area however, the inside of the house has been completely redecorated in an eccentric and completely over-the-top Victorian fashion.

The Victorians are known for viewing what some would call "clutter" as sophisticated decor. They prized ornate, floral, and excessive decoration. With the importance of class distinctions, Victorians were eager to display their wealth in every corner of the house. Curio collections were crowded along mantels, striped or floral wallpaper hung next to imitation leather wall-coverings. As far as interior decoration went, more was never enough.

The owners of Abigail's have taken the Victorian design principles to heart. Each of the three parlors and four bedrooms boasts lush Victorian trimmings like brocaded French velvet wall covering, crystal chandeliers, thick gold and red drapes between rooms, and art paper on the ceilings, and the bookcases are stuffed with replication Victorian catalogs and Victorian-themed novels. Some of the items are more expected (a gramophone) than others (a stuffed turkey wearing eyeglasses in a metal cage). Each room has its own theme, ranging from the Turkish sitting room to the Van Gogh room decked with Belgian furniture. The Victorian actress and singer Lillie Langtree supposedly stayed in the bedroom named after her.

Although Victorian houses often included Fainting Rooms with a chaise lounge and smelling salts for women, Abigail's Victorian Mansion is not for the faint of heart, or the discriminating minimalist.

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Architectural Oddities Eccentric Homes Outsider Architecture Architecture Homes

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rebeccaclara

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wrreeves2

  • wrreeves2

Published

March 18, 2012

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Abigail's Elegant Victorian Mansion
1406 C Street
Eureka, California, 95501
United States
40.793922, -124.168741
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