George W. Carmack House
Address: 1522 East Jefferson
Date Built: 1902
Original Architect/Builder: Severt Schults, Builder; Frank Goodhue, Original Owner; George Carmack, owner 1909-1922
Owner: Irena Jewdoschenko Estate
Description: Early two story Dutch Colonial Revival residence associated with the legacy of Klondike prospector George Carmack
Building History and Significance:
1937 photograph of George Carmack House/ Photo: King County Tax Assessor
Constructed in 1902 for dock manager Frank Goodhue, the Carmack House is an early Dutch Colonial Revival residence and is one of the best remaining examples of the style left in the Central District today. In 1909 George and Marguerite Carmack purchased the house, residing there until George’s death in 1922. Credited with filing the first claim of the Klondike Gold Rush, George Carmack’s story has come to be intimately tied with Seattle’s connection to the 1896 discovery of gold in the Yukon.
Preservation Issue:
Carmack House Exterior, 2008 / Photo: Kji Kelly
With the growth of the nearby Cherry Hill campus of Swedish Medical Center, many of the early 20 th Century buildings that once surrounded the Carmack House have been demolished in favor of parking garages and hospital buildings. Following the death of the home’s longtime owner, Irena Jewdoschenko, in 2006, the Carmack House was listed on the market for $1.25 million. Because of the house’s location within the hospital’s master plan area, the fate of the Carmack House became uncertain with the proposed sale.
Current Status:
Carmack House Interior Before Theft of Architectural of
Elements/ Photo: Kji Kelly
In January 2009, it was discovered that trespassers had stripped much of the original hardware and finishes from the interior of the Carmack House, further complicating the house’s future. On April 9, 2009, the house was controversially nominated as a Seattle Landmark, and has since been designated as such. The Landmarks Preservation Board has prepared a controls and incentives package for the property, however it has yet to be approved. Although Historic Seattle has been engaged in the search for a creative solution for preserving the residence, the Carmack House remains for sale with no definitive proposal for its rehabilitation. .
External Links:
George W. Carmack House Landmark Nomination (PDF)
“Historic Seattle looking for solutions for Carmack House”
Central District News, January 26, 2010
“No (Gold) Rush to judgement”
Crosscut, April 7, 2009
“Carmack House: Landmarks Board to Consider Nomination”
Central District News, March 30, 2009
"Seattle flaps: When hype becomes history"
Crosscut, February 17, 2009
"Nominated Seattle landmark vandalized"
Crosscut, February 5, 2009
“Historic Carmack House Stripped”
Vintage Seattle Blog , February 5, 2009
“Historic House Stripped of Interior History"
Central District News, February 4, 2009
"National Park Service: Save Central Area House"
Central District News, August 26, 2008
