Its manicured gardens offer panoramic views of the Pacific. Unfortunately, they were not happy together and divorced after just a couple of years. 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. . Lora and James Moore moved to Santa Barbara for the ocean air. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Death 26 Jun 1945 (aged 81) Fresno, Fresno County, California, USA. 11 of 25 11. More Details Palme and Knight traveled to Scandinavia to research the design features that would be incorporated into her Tahoe castle. Vikingsholm is administered by the California Park System. A curious man, Lick had always been interested in astronomy. She had a single-lane dirt road constructed to the property so her and her guest could arrive by car. Architect Palme estimated the projects total cost at $500,000. 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.. It became the summer home for Mrs. Knight and her family for 15 years until her death. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. During the summer months she would take guests to the island for high tea. . Lick leaned toward Von Schmidts recommendation, but the dying benefactor designated a committee to make the final decision. 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. Emerald Bay State Park, South Lake Tahoe, Ca.. Editor's note: This story originally ran in January 2021. In 1928, Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight bought land on the western shores of Lake Tahoe on which to build her home. 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. In the 1950's after Lora Josephine Knight died, the castle was sold to Harvey West, which is a name you probably recognize if you've spent some time around Lake Tahoe. Specifically: Private Memorial, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/110560461/lora-josephine-knight. His nationally reported death led to a crackdown on Chicago brothels and morphine abuse. This "summer" home was built on 239 acres of land purchased by Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight for $250,000 in 1928. Today, Lora Knights Viking castle is considered perhaps the finest example of Scandinavian architecture in North America. [2][7], In 1927, she divorced Harry Knight, charging him with "extreme cruelty. The castle was constructed as a summer home for the very wealthy Lora Josephine Knight. "[8] She risked losing her entire fortune from her first marriage as part of the divorce. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Verify and try again. There was a problem getting your location. Vikingsholm was built by Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight as a summer home. Please reset your password. Today, Lora Knights Viking castle is considered perhaps the finest example of Scandinavian architecture in North America. Learn more about managing a memorial . Her father was a corporate lawyer who partnered with two brothers, William Henry Moore and James Hobart Moore. Lora Josephine Knight, who in 1929 built the stone and timber Vikingsholm castle at the base of the bay, said Emerald Bay reminded her of a Scandinavian fjord. For more information see the California Parks Website. Specifically: Private Memorial Memorial ID 110560461 . This browser does not support getting your location. For 32 years, the Armstrong family had spent long, golden summers along the shores of Emerald Bay. 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. The horse stable housed 60 thoroughbreds. . Shes recalled some of those memories in a booklet and, more recently, as a park ranger. The house included stables for 60 horses and a bowling alley. The castle was built in the shape of a horseshoe with two wings . Subscribe and Download now! Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. For great images click the Photo Gallery just above the map below. Your donation will help us continue to cover COVID-19 and our other vital local news. Vikingsholm is said to be one of the finest examples of Scandinavian architecture in the Western Hemisphere, according to California State Parks, which manages the land today. Before starting construction, Mrs. Knight and her architect traveled to Scandinavia to . During the 1920s, Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight had Vikingsholm built, as well as the Tea House on Fannette Island. Read More. [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 try again later. She died there in 1945 at the age of 82. The locally quarried granite boulders were ferried by barge to the island where derricks lifted them stone by stone. Death 26 Jun 1945 (aged 81) Fresno, Fresno County, California, USA. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Today, Lora Knight's Viking castle is considered perhaps the . The natural setting of Lake Tahoe reminded her of Northern Europe. Lora Josephine Knight was the creator and visionary of what is now known as Tahoe's Hidden Castle. [1] He won a gold medal in the 1904 Summer Olympics as part of American golf team, and was known for his lavish parties, but died at 25 in 1910 after a night in "Chicago's most famous and expensive house of prostitution," which made national news and led to a citywide crackdown on brothels and morphine abuse in Chicago. [2], In 1922, she married stockbroker Harry French Knight of St. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. 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. Von Schmidt chose a site 300 feet above Lake Tahoe on the Chinquapin point, renaming it Observatory Point in anticipation. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Now the property is a California State Park and can be visited year-round with tours of the Vikingsholm interior in summer months. Mrs. Knight had traveled Scandinavia with her architect where they were inspired by the architecture. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism. Lora Small (Knight) was born in Galena, Illinois, in 1864 of English descent. 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. 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. Drag images here or select from your computer for Lora Josephine Small Knight memorial. Our mission is to provide readers with a deeper understanding of the Lake Tahoe and Truckee region. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Tahoe has a handful of historic mansions along its shoreline that date back to the late 1800s and first quarter of the 20th century. There was a boathouse for Knights largest boat, a beautiful mahogany cabin cruiser named the Valkyrie. Knight spent 15 summers at Vikingsholm. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. [5] As president of the St. Louis Flying Club, Harry Knight knew Charles Lindbergh, and the Knights were major financial backers of Lindbergh's 1927 solo flight from New York to Paris in the Spirit of Saint Louis. 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 . The Vikingsholm foundation was laid in 1928, but the building was constructed in 1929 by 200 workers. 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. [4], Knight was known for her hospitality, philanthropy, and eye for real estate. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. [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. Mrs. Knight had it graded in 1929 for $10,000 so that she and her guests could arrive by automobile. A sprinkler system was even included on the roof. She also clearly had an eye for real estate. Bliss . 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. Before starting construction, Knight and her architect traveled to Scandinavia to gather ideas for the house. In 1928 Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight purchased the land that encompasses Emerald Bay and Fannette Island for $250,000. Lora Knight filled her castle with original antiques she picked up in Scandinavia. Von Schmidt chose a site 300 feet above Lake Tahoe on the Chinquapin point, renaming it Observatory Point in anticipation. 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. There was an error deleting this problem. Lora Knight filled her castle with original antiques she picked up in Scandinavia. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Make sure that the file is a photo. 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. 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. As fate would have it, Lora married James and her sister Ada married William. Palme and Knight traveled to Scandinavia that summer to research the design features that would be incorporated into her Tahoe castle. Inspired by 11th century Nordic churches and castles, Knight commissioned detailed wood carvings to be placed throughout the interior and exterior. I've heard stories about the wealthy woman who built the teahouse on the island. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Today, the historic estate feels almost as much a part of Emerald Bay as Eagle Falls, Fanette Island or the centuries-old trees. Rocks in Water - California's Gold (803) We're talking about rocks in the water! In total, construction of Vikingsholm was estimated to cost $500,000. Impressed by her architect nephew Lennart Palme's Nordic-inspired home in New York, Mrs. Knight travelled to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and . His award-winning books are available at local stores or atwww.thestormking.com. She's best remembered today for building Vikingsholm, a Scandinavian-inspired castle along the shores of Lake Tahoe, as a summer home in 1928. During the 1920s, Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight had Vikingsholm built, as well as the Tea House on Fannette Island. 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 the winter, Vikingsholm is quiet. Unfortunately, they were not happy together and divorced after just a couple of years. 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 Soon after, Lindbergh approached the Knights to fund his groundbreaking trans-Atlantic flight. 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. Lora Small (Knight) was born in Galena, Illinois, in 1864 of English descent. But in 1910, Nathaniel suddenly died. After Lora's father passed, the brothers took over the law firm and together, they became incredibly wealthy businessmen based in Chicago. 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. [1][2], She and James Moore bought land at Carnelian Bay in Lake Tahoe in 1914 to build a large home known as Wychwood, as well getting another retreat on Lake Geneva. Julie Brown is a freelance writer and former contributing editor at SFGATE. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? With her first husband, she had a 27-room estate at Lake Geneva, a retreat for Midwestern tycoons, according to the Chicago Tribune. You can learn more about the property and all of its secrets during a guided tour. His body was taken to the Moore home, to Lora, in a private ambulance. [1][2] They also owned homes in Illinois and Wisconsin. Weve updated the security on the site. 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. Architect Palme estimated the projects total cost at $500,000. 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