lora josephine knight

It was there in 1914 that Moore built a charming lakefront estate that she called Wychwood. GREAT NEWS! 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. Drag images here or select from your computer for Lora Josephine Small Knight memorial. Lora Josephine Knight purchased the property encompassing the head of Emerald Bay and Fannette Island in 1928 for $250,000. Von Schmidt chose a site 300 feet above Lake Tahoe on the Chinquapin point, renaming it Observatory Point in anticipation. But since then, the state park has preserved Vikingsholm, and Knights legacy, for hundreds of thousands of visitors who arrive every year. The building, as creepy as it may look, was actually a tea house, built by Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight, ex-wife of wealthy stockbroker Charles French Knight. Her Vikingsholm Castle was completed in 1929 and reflected Scandinavian style of construction and architectural design. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Harry and Lora were divorced in 1928 and Lora Knight sold her Lakefront estate in Chinquapin to Robert Stanley Dollar Sr., a wealthy San Francisco businessman. 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. A curious man, Lick had always been interested in astronomy. 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. A sod roof was installed on the north and south wings, so that grasses and wildflowers could grow. [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. In 1928, Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight purchased Armstrong's land with the need to construct a summer house that may praise the magnificent pure environment. They visited Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden drawing inspiration for centuries old buildings and castles.. Construction of Vikingsholm began in the fall of 1928. In early 1916 they bought a home near Santa Barbara hoping that the mild Mediterranean climate might improve his condition, but he died on July 20, 1916, leaving Lora an estate worth $15 million. 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. Search for: Browse by Date var obConfig = { footer: 'View All Events | Add your event' }; What is your prediction for precipitation totals this winter season? She loved Scandinavian architecture and Emerald Bay reminded her of a Norwegian fjord with its steep surrounding slopes and deep blue water. Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight chose Emerald Bay to build her castle, Vikingsholm. Emerald Bay also reminded her of a Norwegian fjord with its steep surrounding slopes and deep blue water. Lora Josephine Knights 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. What used to be Mrs. Knight and a few guests has now turned into 2.5 . After a few sales, in 1928, Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight bought the land with the desire to build a summer home that would compliment the magnificent natural surroundings. According to McLaughlin, Lora Knight was known for her hospitality and philanthropy. Sorry! Her "Castle in the Sky" features intricate . Dinner was at 6:30 p.m. On most evenings after dinner, Mrs. Knight and her guests were driven by limousine to the top of the road at Highway 89, Smith said. It was paradise, as Mrs. William H. Armstrong described, offering a safe harbor, beautiful white sand beach, wildflowers, pure ice-cold water, matchless cliffs, mammoth pine and cedar, waterfalls and an exquisite island. They didnt want to leave. Required fields are marked *. Read our E-edition from your preferred device. Bliss . Lora had a life-long reputation for her generous hospitality, philanthropy and numerous financial contributions to youth groups in California and Nevada. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). It was the first permanently occupied mountaintop observatory in the world and for nearly 10 years its telescope was the largest ever built. 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. In 1928 Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight. 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. Our mission is to provide readers with a deeper understanding of the Lake Tahoe and Truckee region. The house he created for her is called Cima del Mundo. Carved dragon heads are common as both interior and exterior decorations, as they were used in old Viking castles to divide the main room between the chieftain and his most honored guests from the women and children. 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. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Currently it is used as a hiking trail by those wishing to visit this remarkable castle. Those wishing to know more can enjoy one of the daily guided tours from Memorial Day weekend until the end of September. First, Huell . Today, Lora Knights Viking castle is considered perhaps the finest example of Scandinavian architecture in North America. After years of bickering, the Lick Observatory was finally constructed in 1888 on Mount Hamilton east of San Jose. Lora and her husband, James, traveled extensively in California as to foreign countries. Mrs. Knight had it graded in 1929 for $10,000 so that she and her guests could arrive by automobile. The horse stable housed 60 thoroughbreds. 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. From the mountainside, you can see Fanette Island and just barely make out the box-like shape of a stone teahouse on top. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. 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. Inspired by Scandinavian architecture and 11th century Nordic churches and castles, widowed heiress Lora Josephine Knight built Vikingsholm in 1929. She then commissioned Lennart Palme, a Swedish architect to whom she was related by marriage, to design Vikingsholm. This was an era when Tahoe was first establishing itself as a summer haven for wealthy tourists who sought an escape from Californias cities. The late owner, Lora Josephine Knight also commissioned the building of tea house in Emerald Bay on Lake Tahoe's only island. . Please reset your password. 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. Unfortunately, they were not happy together and divorced after just a couple of years. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference. Vikingsholm is administered by the California Park System. For a birthday present, his father wrote him a check for $100,000. 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. Get into more larger-than-life Lake Tahoe history on a tour of Vikingsholm Castle, the summer home of Lora Josephine Knight, a wealthy heiress and widow who used her fortune to build a 38-room Scandinavian-style mansion on Emerald Bay, which reminded her of the fjords she'd seen on trips to Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark. Try again later. Born of English decent but from the Chicago area, Mrs. Knight was particularly enthralled by Nordic designand so became Vikingsholm. 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). Her father Edward A. 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. [1][2][3][4], In 1884, the two had a son, Nathaniel Moore, who later married Helen Fargo, heiress to the Wells Fargo fortune. . . Loras marriage to Harry Knight didnt last for more than a couple of years before they divorced. . Lora Josephine Knights 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. Construction on the castle began in the spring of 1929 and proceeded quickly as 200 workmen and artisans, housed in temporary barracks, quarried nearby stone and cut lumber. They traveled across Scandinavia for research and inspiration before laying the foundation in the late summer of 1928 for Vikingsholm. Astronomers suggested that a high-altitude mountain location above atmospheric dust and away from city light would be the best location. PHOTO: u local. In 1922, Lora married Harry French Knight. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. - Ranked #2 of 131 attractions in South Lake Tahoe (Emerald Bay). Come summer, the hiking trails are full of visitors, and state parks rangers open the castle for guided tours. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. 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. [2], In 1922, she married stockbroker Harry French Knight of St. The horse stable housed 60 thoroughbreds. Many people assume that Mrs. Knight was of Scandinavian origin because of her decision to build Vikingsholm but she was actually of English decent. Impressed by her architect nephew Lennart Palme's Nordic-inspired home in New York, Mrs. Knight travelled to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and . They built the mansion using construction methods from as far back as the 11th century. Afternoon Hike in D.L. The only island on Lake Tahoe, Fannette island hosts a small stone structure that was once the tea house of Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight, the owner of Vikingsholm. The foundation was laid in 1928, and the building was constructed in 1929 by around 200 workers. Specifically: Private Memorial Memorial ID 110560461 . 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. Despite its ancient motif, Vikingsholm had all the conveniences available in the 1930s, including electricity, modern fixtures and private baths in the bedrooms. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. 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 . Lick leaned toward Von Schmidts recommendation, but the dying benefactor designated a committee to make the final decision. Apparently, she chose the Scandinavian motif because she had admired Palmes own Scandinavian-designed home in New York. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. . 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. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. There is a single-lane dirt road that connects Vikingsholm with Highway 89. 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 a fjord-like setting at Lake Tahoe's Emerald Bay State Park, the 38-room Vikingsholm castle is a rare masterpiece of Scandinavian architecture. It was first published on this website in August 2018 and is presented in its original form. Family members linked to this person will appear here. Lora Josephine Small Knight Birth 1 May 1864. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Emerald Bay also reminded her of a Norwegian fjord with it steep surrounding slopes and deep blue water. Lora and her sister Ada married two brothers, William and James Moore, who worked as partners in their fathers law firm. It was there she decided to build a structure that would incorporate the atmosphere and design of an old Viking castle of stone construction. And if you're visiting in the summer, you can take a tour of the property. 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. There was an error deleting this problem. 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. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Knight spent 15 summers at Vikingsholm. Her father was a corporate lawyer who partnered with two brothers, William Henry Moore and James Hobart Moore. Work on the home ceased at first snowfall in the winter of 1928 and was started up again in the spring of 1929. His nationally reported death led to a crackdown on Chicago brothels and morphine abuse. She also exhibited baskets made by the famous Washoe weaver Dat-So-La-Lee. Swimming is out, most trails are off limits, and the river is too swollen for rafting. Lora Josephine Knight was a philanthropist from California who was at one time one of the wealthiest women in America according to newspaper reports. Palme and Knight traveled to Scandinavia to research the design features that would be incorporated into her Tahoe castle. Vikingsholm was built by Lora Josephine Knight as a summer home. Creator of Vikingsholm, Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe. This spectacular site was originally built to be the summer residence of Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight. 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 Inside, Knight decorated and furnished with antiques she purchased and shipped from Scandinavia. Knight had already spent 16 summers in Tahoe before she built Vikingsholm. They agreed to be major supporters. Lora Small (Knight) was born in Galena, Illinois, in 1864 of English descent. Mrs. Knight had it graded in 1929 for $10,000 so that she and her guests could arrive by automobile. The house included stables for 60 horses and a bowling alley. One could and still can only get to the island by boat, kayaks or canoes. 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. During construction of the main house Lora turned her attention to Fannette Island in the middle of Emerald Bay. 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. 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. Lora was the only heir to his estate, which was rumored at the time to be worth as much as $100 million (though Lora told the San Francisco Chronicle in 1921 that it was "nearer one-tenth that sum"). Before starting construction of the summer home late that year, Mrs. Knight and her architect traveled to Scandinavia to gather ideas for the construction of the house. Was constructed in 1888 on Mount Hamilton east of San Jose Grave account continue. Castle of stone construction the memorial or here on the lora josephine knight and south wings, so that and... After years of bickering, the Lick Observatory was finally constructed in 1888 on Hamilton! One could and still can only get to the Island by boat, or! 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