The Vintage Seattle blog has terrible news for local preservationists: the Carmack House (1522 East Jefferson), up for consideration as a city landmark, has apparently been broken into and stripped of its important architectural elements including 100-year-old trim, moldings, cabinetry, the original carved fireplace, and a stained glass window, among other valuable elements.

The scale of the destruction and theft indicates a professional crew with a truck and knowledge of what they were doing. The work took hours and the thieves covered their tracks, according to the police report reproduced on the Web site.

Vintage Seattle has been covering the Carmack House for some time and has posted pictures of the interior of the structure. It is one of Seattle's most significant endangered historic sites. The house was the last home of George Carmack, the man who set off the Klondike Gold Rush, an event that transformed Seattle. It sits on its original site in the Central District neighborhood of Squire Park in an area that has been gobbled up by the expansion of Swedish Medical Center's complex at the old Providence Hospital. The house is vacant and belongs to the estate of a previous owner.

Local preservationists have been making a concerted effort to recognize and possibly save the structure, which is currently for sale and could likely be demolished for development. A landmarks meeting has been slated to consider the Carmack House on Feb. 18.

Vintage Seattle's Jeff Cliffe is troubled:

I find the timing of this "architectural theft" troubling, if not extremely suspicious. Up until a year ago, I lived right across the street from the Carmack House and I can tell you that this is a very busy intersection with a lot of foot traffic. Not only is there a constant stream of people walking by, but Providence Hospital next door has a considerable security presence. The house has been fenced up with clear "no trespassing" signs for years now. I find the idea of thieves stripping this home, at this intersection, at any time of day or night, and not being noticed, to be hard to swallow.

Such damage could potentially harm the Carmack House's case for landmark status. Architectural integrity is important, though a structure need not be in original or perfect condition to qualify. At the very least it would add significantly to the cost of restoration and takes away original elements that are part of the home's important history.