She also exhibited baskets made by the famous Washoe weaver Dat-So-La-Lee. After traveling to Scandinavia Mrs. Knight along with her architect returned to the Lake Tahoe area and started construction on the Castle with ideas they gathered on their European tour. By the 1870s Lick was in poor health, but still fiercely determined to build the observatory. Find the . Lora had a life-long reputation for her generous hospitality, philanthropy and numerous financial contributions to youth groups in California and Nevada. Her first lakefront mansion was called Wychwood and was just north of Dollar Point, where the Chinquapin condominiums are today. There was an error deleting this problem. [1] She became one of the wealthiest women in America according to newspapers at the time. [1][3] She also built a small teahouse on Fannette Island inside the bay. The history of the castle and its visionary, Lora Josephine Knight, is fascinating. Vikingsholm - Built in 1929 by Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight as a summer home. based on information from your browser. Knight had become acquaintances with the Armstrongs through church affiliations and after the purchase she would build her majestic Vikingsholm the following year. Lora had a life-long reputation for her generous hospitality, philanthropy and numerous financial contributions to youth groups in California and Nevada. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism. In 1884, Lora gave birth to their only child, a son Nathaniel, who later married Helen Fargo, heiress to the Wells Fargo banking dynasty founded in San Francisco during the Gold Rush. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. After years of bickering, the Lick Observatory was finally constructed in 1888 on Mount Hamilton east of San Jose. The over 70-foot long Bleu Wave carries up to 50 passengers and includes a private lounge, fireplace and more. And if you're visiting in the summer, you can take a tour of the property. It was there she decided to build a structure that would incorporate the atmosphere and design of an old Viking castle of stone construction. Lake Geneva, Walworth County, . Whether its delightful dining options, fun things to do or amazing outdoor recreation opportunities, we have you covered. Readers around the Lake Tahoe Basin and beyond make the Tahoe Tribune's work possible. A curious man, Lick had always been interested in astronomy. Make sure that the file is a photo. Today, Lora Knight's Viking castle is considered perhaps the . [2], In 1922, she married stockbroker Harry French Knight of St. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. 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. Her father, Edward Small, was a corporate lawyer who took on two brothers as partners in his law practice William Henry Moore and James Hobart Moore. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Wildlife have several strategies to endure Lake Tahoes winters, Steeped in old town Truckee history, Moodys serves up innovative cuisine, Earn your turns: Tahoe Backcountry Alliance encourages stewardship, accessibility to backcountry, The art of charcuteski: Craft an on-mountain dining experience with the skis that got you there. Drag images here or select from your computer for Lora Josephine Small Knight memorial. Its manicured gardens offer panoramic views of the Pacific. 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. Vikingsholm Castle was build as the summer home of millionaire heiress Lora Josephine Knight in 1929. [5] Despite the divorce, Lora continued to use her ex-husband's last name. Lora Josephine Knight purchased the property encompassing the head of Emerald Bay and Fannette Island in 1928 for $250,000. 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. She then commissioned Lennart Palme, a Swedish architect to whom she was related by marriage, to design Vikingsholm. March 18, 2021 by rrservices Leave a Comment. The park is also, oddly, the home of Vikingsholm, a replica of a Scandinavian castle. [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. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. But since then, the state park has preserved Vikingsholm, and Knights legacy, for hundreds of thousands of visitors who arrive every year. [2] Her $3 million estate went mostly to relatives and church and educational organizations. Scandinavia comes to Lake Tahoe at a historic home. Illinois, USA. This browser does not support getting your location. Today, Lora Knights Viking castle is considered perhaps the finest example of Scandinavian architecture in North America. The locally quarried granite boulders were ferried by barge to the island where derricks lifted them stone by stone. During the summer months she would take guests to the island for high tea. 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. . We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Her father, Edward Small, was a corporate lawyer who took on two brothers as partners in his law practice William Henry Moore and James Hobart Moore. By the 1870s Lick was in poor health, but still fiercely determined to build the observatory. His nationally reported death led to a crackdown on Chicago brothels and morphine abuse. Lora and her husband, James, traveled extensively in California and to foreign countries. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Life was good for the Moores, but after their purchase of the Tahoe property, James health began to fail. It became the summer home for Mrs. Knight and her family for 15 years until her death. (So next time you visit Vikingsholm for a picnic, consider bringing some Ritz Crackers or perhaps Oreos.). She commissioned her nephew by marriage, Lennart Palme, a Swedish architect, to design the . The locally quarried granite boulders were ferried by barge to the island where derricks lifted them stone by stone. Resend Activation Email. Visitors, like Conn, sometimes leave . Not a lot to do there, except hike up to the Tea House and take some photos. [4][10], "The legacy of Lora Knight and why Vikingsholm is one of the finest examples of Scandinavian architecture in North America", "The mysterious castle in Lake Tahoe's Emerald Bay", "The History of Lora Knight and Her Vikingsholm", "Vikingsholm: A Brief History (Nordic Castle at Emerald Bay)", "The mysteries and stories of the Harry F. Knight House", "LORA J. KNIGHT; Former Wife of Stock Broker, Financed Lindbergh Flight", "GETS DIVORCE IN RENO COURT California Digital Newspaper Collection", "Clipping from Reno Gazette-Journal - Newspapers.com", "Historic Vikingsholm at Emerald Bay always in need of attention, support", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lora_Josephine_Knight&oldid=1101022867, This page was last edited on 28 July 2022, at 22:31. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. He had planned to make the area into a development for Hollywood elite, but the plan never materialized and he sold the property to Harvey West. Lora Josephine Knight wasn't Scandinavian herself, however; she was born as Lora Josephine Small in Illinois in 1864, and her family claimed English descent. The sibling entrepreneurs eventually amassed quite a fortune with controlling interest in a number of large American corporations such as the Diamond Match Company, U.S. Steel and National Biscuit (Nabisco), the maker of Oreo cookies. Work on the home ceased at first snowfall in the winter of 1928 and was started up again in the spring of 1929. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Lora Knight filled her castle with original antiques she picked up in Scandinavia. 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. Mrs. Knight had traveled Scandinavia with her architect where they were inspired by the architecture. Eight years before her marriage to Harry Knight, Mrs. Josephine Moore purchased the land at Chinquapin from descendants of Lake Tahoe timber baron Duane L. Bliss. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism. She then had 200 workers build Vikingsholm. 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. Impressed by her architect nephew Lennart Palme's Nordic-inspired home in New York, Mrs. Knight travelled to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and . 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. "A woman ahead of her time, who was remarkable: Forward thinking, generous, and resourceful. Lora Small (Knight) was born in Galena, Illinois, in 1864 of English descent. They agreed to be major supporters. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? There was a problem getting your location. Her "Castle in the Sky" features intricate . Drugs were suspected. Von Schmidt chose a site 300 feet above Lake Tahoe on the Chinquapin point, renaming it Observatory Point in anticipation. 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. It is an enjoyable little kayak excursion to the island. A sod roof was installed on the north and south wings, so that grasses and wildflowers could grow. First, Huell . The coroner said the cause of death was heart disease, but the night before, Nathaniel was up late at a brothel and had been drinking. They also spent time at their luxury homes in Illinois and Wisconsin. Despite its ancient motif, Vikingsholm had all the conveniences available in the 1930s, including electricity, modern fixtures and private baths in the bedrooms. Before starting construction, Mrs. Knight and her architect traveled to Scandinavia to . But his health continued to worsen. He too had development plans that never materialized and in 1953 donated the . This spectacular site was originally built to be the summer residence of Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight. For 32 years, the Armstrong family had spent long, golden summers along the shores of Emerald Bay. Commissioned by Lora Josephine Knight as a summer home, Knight wanted someplace that reflected the beauty of the surrounding area. What used to be Mrs. Knight and a few guests has now turned into 2.5 . 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. In the early 1920s, Lora Small Moore married Harry French Knight, a stockbroker from St. Louis. Mrs. Knight had it graded in 1929 for $10,000 so that she and her guests could arrive by automobile. She exhibited Indian baskets, including some by the noted Washoe weaver Dat-So-La-Lee, also known as Louisa Keyser. To build it, she hired Swedish architect Lennart Palme, her nephew by marriage. . The home features an impressive 38 rooms and gives details about the history of the area and the owner of the estate, Lora Josephine Knight. Subscribe to Envato Elements for unlimited Stock Video downloads for a single monthly fee. Currently it is used as a hiking trail by those wishing to visit this remarkable castle. In 1922, Lora Moore married Harry French Knight, a stockbroker. Historic Vikingsholm Castle offers one of the most spectacular views of Lake Tahoe and Emerald Bay - one of the most photographed bays in the world. Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight built a tea house at the top of Fannette Island in Emerald Bay State Park. 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. Architect Palme estimated the projects total cost at $500,000. 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. Lora was 20 years old when she gave birth to her only child, a son named Nathaniel Moore. It was there in 1914 that Moore built a charming lakefront estate that she called Wychwood. 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. Pieces of wood resembling spikes adorn the gutters in a nod to the Scandinavian custom people used to ward off evil spirits. 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