Her Vikingsholm Castle was completed in 1929 and reflected Scandinavian style of construction and architectural design. Unfortunately, they were not happy together and divorced after just a couple of years. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Before starting construction, Knight and her architect traveled to Scandinavia to gather ideas for the house. Lora Knight filled her castle with original antiques she picked up in Scandinavia. The house is available for guided tours . Rocks in Water - California's Gold (803) We're talking about rocks in the water! Armstrong's land was purchased by Lora Josephine Knight in 1928 at a sum of $250,000 with the intent of creating a grand summer home residence that would reflect the area's natural beauty. Emerald Bay State Park, South Lake Tahoe, Ca.. Editor's note: This story originally ran in January 2021. Shes recalled some of those memories in a booklet and, more recently, as a park ranger. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. The year before she purchased land in Emerald Bay, she was one of the primary financial backers to Charles Lindberghs first flight across the Atlantic, from New York to Paris. She had inherited a fortune from her first husband. I highly recommend taking a tour if at all possible, but if that doesn't work for you logistically, still hike down and marvel at its exterior, as well as the views from lake level of Emerald Bay. Vikingsholm is administered by the California Park System. "A woman ahead of her time, who was remarkable: Forward thinking, generous, and resourceful. Now the property is a California State Park and can be visited year-round with tours of the Vikingsholm interior in summer months. Palme and Knight traveled to Scandinavia that summer to research the design features that would be incorporated into her Tahoe castle. The property passed through two more landowners before California State Parks bought 177 acres, including the island and the structures, in 1953 for $150,000. Mansion built by Lora Knight. She hired architect Myron Hunt, a contemporary of Frank Lloyd Wright. Swimming is out, most trails are off limits, and the river is too swollen for rafting. Knight had become acquaintances with the Armstrongs through church affiliations and after the purchase she would build her majestic Vikingsholm the following year. She had a single-lane dirt road constructed to the property so her and her guest could arrive by car. Oops, something didn't work. During the 1920s, Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight had Vikingsholm built, as well as the Tea House on Fannette Island. Nathan was an avid golfer and a participating member of the American Olympic team that won the gold medal at the 1904 Summer Games in Missouri. Flickr photos, groups, and tags related to the "lorajosephineknight" Flickr tag. After Edward Smalls death, William and James took over the firm and formed the Moore Brothers partnership. "[8] She risked losing her entire fortune from her first marriage as part of the divorce. They also spent time at their luxury homes in Illinois and Wisconsin. In 1914, the Moores built a lakefront estate in Lake Tahoe at Chinquapin which they called Wychwood. Hence the Viking-inspired home on the lake. As fate would have it, Lora married James and her sister Ada married William. She had a granite teahouse that resembled a small castle built on the crest of the island. Lennart Palme said: The problem of placing Vikingsholm without disturbing the trees was perhaps the trickiest I have had to solve either abroad or in these United States.. She enjoyed the property for years, until her passing in 1945. Astronomers suggested that a high-altitude mountain location above atmospheric dust and away from city light would be the best location. Lora Josephine Knight's legacy is enshrined in the magnificent Scandinavian castle "Vikingsholm" that she had built at Emerald Bay in 1929, but her first property at Tahoe was actually located at Chinquapin, a sheltered cove just east of Dollar Point in Carnelian Bay. First, Huell . This is a carousel with slides. [5], In 1924, the Knights hired Myron Hunt to build a home they named Cima del Mundo in Santa Barbara, California on the Montecito hillside. Support timbers were hand hewn and interior wallboard meticulously hand planed, while metal fixtures like fireplace screens, hinges and latches were hand forged on-site. In summer months, you can tour the castle to discover what led the original owner, Lora Josephine Knight, in 1928 to make her summer home an ode to Scandinavian architecture, down to the sod roofs and six fireplaces. This spectacular site was originally built to be the summer residence of Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. She made financial contributions stretching from Santa Barbara, CA, to Reno, NV, and went toward youth groups, community centers, and college scholarships. Tahoe historian Mark McLaughlinis a nationally published author and professional speaker and former freelance writer for Tahoe Magazine. Although their marriage was short-lived, Lora and Harry Knight were among the small group of St. Louis, Missouri, businessmen who were the principal financial backers of Charles Lindberghs famed 1927 flight across the Atlantic from New York to Paris. In 1928 Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight purchased the land that encompasses Emerald Bay and Fannette Island for $250,000. Nathaniel later married Helen Fargo, of Wells Fargo Bank. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. [9] Vikingsholm eventually became part of Emerald Bay State Park. She was a major promoter and financial backer of Charles Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic in the Spirit of St. Louis; and donated to a number of other causes and funded various building projects including her own . Mrs. Knight and her husband were also backers of Charles Lindbergh's 1927 solo flight across the Atlantic. The Moore brothers had a controlling interest in a handful of large corporations, including United States Steel, Union Pacific, Rock Island Railroad and National Biscuit, or Nabisco. Mrs. Knight had it graded in 1929 for $10,000 so that she and her guests could arrive by automobile. She then purchased 240 acres of land at the head of Emerald Bay, as well as Fannette Island, from the William Henry Armstrong family for $250,000. Knight traveled to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland to research ideas for her grand Lake Tahoe home, including old wooden churches and ancient stone castles, before . Knight loved Tahoe, and for 16 years she enjoyed her summers at Wychwood, hosting friends and family members, but in 1928, she sold her beloved lakeside Shangri-La to Robert Stanley Dollar Sr., a wealthy San Francisco businessman. The family spent most of their time in Chicago but vacationed in California often. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Lora Josephine Knight's legacy is enshrined in the magnificent Scandinavian castle "Vikingsholm" that she had built at Emerald Bay in 1929, but her first property at Tahoe was actually Apparently, she chose the Scandinavian motif because she had admired Palmes own Scandinavian-designed home in New York. Download Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight's Tea House on Fannett Island in Emerald Bay State Park. Since this is my blog and I get to say whatever I want, I think Morris would've approved of . Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Oak Hill Cemetery. Palme and Knight traveled to Scandinavia to research the design features that would be incorporated into her Tahoe castle. Failed to delete memorial. . In 1922, Lora Moore married Harry French Knight, a stockbroker. Lora Josephine Knight was a philanthropist who valued community and education. His nationally reported death led to a crackdown on Chicago brothels and morphine abuse. The Castle has 38 rooms, and unusual architecture with a sod roof seeded with wildflowers, dragon heads on the edge of the . Mrs. Knight had it graded in 1929 for $10,000 so that she and her guests could arrive by automobile. This spectacular site was originally built to be the summer residence of Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight. According to McLaughlin, Lora Knight was known for her hospitality and philanthropy. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference. She also clearly had an eye for real estate. ). They agreed to be major supporters. In 1928 Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight, purchased about two hundred acres of land at Emerald Bay in the Lake Tahoe region of California. Their Wisconsin chateau boasted 27 rooms, a wine cellar and a two-lane bowling alley. Experienced and knowledgeable guides take you on a 30-minute touryou'll learn about owner Lora Josephine Knight, who thought that Emerald Bay resembled the fjords. var obConfig = { footer: '' }; What is your prediction for precipitation totals this winter season? [4], Knight sold her Wychwood home to San Francisco businessman Robert Stanley Dollar Sr.[1] In the summer of summer of 1929, Knight built Vikingsholm, the house she is most known for, buying the 240 acres of land in Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe from William Henry Armstrong, who she knew through her church, for $250,000. What used to be Mrs. Knight and a few guests has now turned into 2.5 . Whether its delightful dining options, fun things to do or amazing outdoor recreation opportunities, we have you covered. Despite the expense and effort, the tea house was rarely used, even though Lora spent all her summers at Vikingsholm until her death in 1945. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. The California landmark is one of the finest Scandinavian structures located outside of the Nordic countries. Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight later constructed Vikingsholm, an exquisite 38-room castle on the Emerald Bay shores, in 1928-1929. In 1922, Lora married Harry French Knight. Currently it is used as a hiking trail by those wishing to visit this remarkable castle. She spent 15 summers at the mansion before passing away peacefully in her home in 1945 (and leaving a thousand dollars for each of her employees for every year they worked for her). She died there in 1945 at the age of 82. There is a single-lane dirt road that connects Vikingsholm with Highway 89. One could and still can only get to the island by boat, kayaks or canoes. And if you're visiting in the summer, you can take a tour of the property. Apparently, she chose the Scandinavian motif because she had admired Palmes own Scandinavian-designed home in New York. Verify and try again. It was originally constructed to be the summer residence of Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight who had been impressed by her architect nephew's Nordic-inspired home in New York. Unfortunately, they were not happy together and divorced after just a couple of years. Friends spent many summers with Mrs. Knight at Vikingsholm, swimming, boating, and hiking . Visitors, like Conn, sometimes leave . But in 1910, Nathaniel suddenly died. Learn more about managing a memorial . James Lick, a Pennsylvania Dutchman, first struck it rich in the California Gold Rush and then parlayed his luck into a fortune by investing in San Franciscos booming real estate market. Everyone heads for Emerald Bay, with its waterfall, beach and famed Scandinavian mansion, Vikingsholm, built in 1928 by Lora Josephine Knight and open for tours. She exhibited Indian baskets, including some by the noted Washoe weaver Dat-So-La-Lee, also known as Louisa Keyser. Vikingsholm's design includes mortar-embedded granite boulders, hand hewn timbers, church entrance-like hand carvings, roof ridge carvings with dragon heads crossing at roof peaks, and a sod roof. Sorry! As fate would have it, Lora married James and her sister Ada married William. Serving Truckee, Tahoe City, Kings Beach and Incline Village, Truckees Quintero designs custom Nordica skis to raise money for youth, Caboose of Truckee-Tahoe storm train in sight, Tahoe ski resorts receive about 2 feet of snow; More on way, Tahoe homeowners, businesses urged to monitor snow loads, propane tanks, gas lines, Above the rim: Ongoing winter storms lead to rapid rise for Lake Tahoe. She commissioned her nephew by marriage, Lennart Palme, a Swedish architect, to design the . For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. . Emerald Bay also reminded her of a Norwegian fjord with its steep surrounding slopes and deep blue water. She was born Lora Josephine Small in Galena, Illinois, in 1864 - one of a family of four daughters and one son. It is an enjoyable little kayak excursion to the island. After this time, the property exchanged hands multiple times, but after a transaction with its last private owner, Harvey West, the property was . There was a boathouse for Knights largest boat, a beautiful mahogany cabin cruiser named the Valkyrie. Vikingsholm Castle . You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Galena, Jo Daviess County, Illinois, USA. Read our E-edition from your preferred device. By the 1870s Lick was in poor health, but still fiercely determined to build the observatory. This tour passes by many beautiful spots around the lake shores, including the shores of beautiful Emerald Bay, Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight's Vikingsholm Castle and Tea House at Fanette Island, Eagle Waterfall and more. Year should not be greater than current year. His nationally reported death led to a crackdown on Chicago brothels and morphine abuse. [3] However, her husband's health began failing and he died on July 20, 1916, leaving her with an estate of at least $15 million. In 1928, Mrs. Knight had her mind firmly set on Emerald Bay to build her "castle of the sky." She gave the family who owned the land an offer they couldn't refuse. Widowed and then divorced, the newspapers at the time said Knight was one of the wealthiest women in America. The Later Years. In 1928 Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight. 9 Mar 1997 26 Oct 2021 California's Gold. The property had a boat house constructed for her mahogany cabin cruiser named Valkyrie and a teahouse constructed on Fannette Island made from bricks cut from local granite. Small was born in Galena, Illinois, in 1864 to lawyer Edward Small. Today, the historic estate feels almost as much a part of Emerald Bay as Eagle Falls, Fanette Island or the centuries-old trees. What Makes It Unique: In the late 1920s, Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight purchased land on Emerald Bay. Each day blended into the next, relaxed and unhurried, Smith told the Press Democrat, and began with the sound of swishing sprinklers set up by yardmen in the early morning hours to water the wildflowers that grew in the grasses on the bay side of the house.. Over 200 artisans, some from Scandinavia, and workmen constructed the estate by hand hewing the timbers, carving the intricate designs, hand planning the wood for the interior walls, and forging the hinges and latches. Louis. One newspaper article, published in the Reno Gazette Journal, said Nathaniel was lavish with money. He once invited a few friends to Broadway and hosted a $20,000 dinner. Helen Smith was a frequent guest. GREAT NEWS! She was a major promoter and financial backer of Charles Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic in the Spirit of St. Louis; and donated to a number of other causes and funded various building projects including her own summer retreat Vikingsholm . Lick leaned toward Von Schmidts recommendation, but the dying benefactor designated a committee to make the final decision. In 1873, engineer Alexis Von Schmidt recommended the site for the proposed James Lick Astronomical Observatory that would house the worlds most powerful space telescope. Nathan Moore apparently knew how to have a good time, dying at the age of 25 of natural causes after spending the previous night at Chicagos most famous and expensive house of prostitution. The house had modern fixtures, electricity, and each bedroom had a private bath. In order to preserve the natural environment of Emerald Bay, Knight insisted that local Tahoe materials be used with the exception of the leaded windows with pastel stained-glass panes imported from Sweden. Many communities were interested in Licks $2 million estate and several protested the Tahoe location insisting that they were better suited for an observatory than the snowbound lake. . He too had development plans that never materialized and in 1953 donated the land and buildings to the State of California for compensation of half the properties value ($125,000). Add to your scrapbook. Knight loved Tahoe, and for 16 years she enjoyed her summers at Wychwood, hosting friends and family members, but in 1928, she sold her beloved lakeside Shangri-La to Robert Stanley Dollar Sr., a wealthy San Francisco businessman. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Knight had derived design ideas from 11th century wooden churches in Norway and carvings from these ancient church entrances were incorporated into many Vikingsholm door entries. McLaughlin says the replicas were so exact, Knight even had the ages of the wood matched and scratch marks on the original copied. Lora then purchased about 240 acres of land at the head of Emerald Bay, as well as Fannette Island, from the William Henry Armstrong family for $250,000. By the 1870s Lick was in poor health, but still fiercely determined to build the observatory. Palme and Knight traveled to Scandinavia that summer to research the design features that would be incorporated into her Tahoe castle. Drugs were suspected. It was there she decided to build a structure that would incorporate the atmosphere and design of an old Viking castle of stone construction. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Their Wisconsin chateau boasted 27 rooms, a wine cellar and a two-lane bowling alley. And let's face it, if you were as rich as she . But the story of Mrs. Knight and her Vikingsholm stand apart from the rest. It became the summer home for Mrs. Knight and her family for 15 years until her death. Lindbergh approached the Knights about helping fund his effort to be the first to fly nonstop across the Atlantic at a St. Louis airfield where Harry, an aspiring aviator, was taking flying lessons. From the mountainside, you can see Fanette Island and just barely make out the box-like shape of a stone teahouse on top. Your email address will not be published. [1][2] They also owned homes in Illinois and Wisconsin. A sprinkler system was even included on the roof. 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