They also spent time at their luxury homes in Illinois and Wisconsin. Apparently, she chose the Scandinavian motif because she had admired Palmes own Scandinavian-designed home in New York. Small, was a corporate lawyer who accepted two . She had a granite teahouse that resembled a small castle built on the crest of the island. 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. Lora and James Moore moved to Santa Barbara for the ocean air. Astronomers suggested that a high-altitude mountain location above atmospheric dust and away from city light would be the best location. 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. [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. The estate is also considered to be one of the best examples of Scandinavian architecture on the continent. Readers around the Lake Tahoe Basin and beyond make the Tahoe Tribune's work possible. In 1928 Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight. [4] She died at Vikingsholm in 1945 at the age of 82. 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. Inspired by 11th century Nordic churches and castles, Knight commissioned detailed wood carvings to be placed throughout the interior and exterior. For a birthday present, his father wrote him a check for $100,000. [2] Her charitable contributions included youth groups, community centers, and college scholarships. Creator of Vikingsholm, Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe. In the early 1920s, Lora Small Moore married Harry French Knight, a stockbroker from St. Louis. In total, construction of Vikingsholm was estimated to cost $500,000. 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This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Lora Knight filled her castle with original antiques she picked up in Scandinavia. Burial. [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. Born of English decent but from the Chicago area, Mrs. Knight was particularly enthralled by Nordic designand so became Vikingsholm. For more information see the California Parks Website. 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. Louis. As fate would have it, Lora married James and her sister Ada married William. Her father was a corporate lawyer who partnered with two brothers, William Henry Moore and James Hobart Moore. Vikingsholm is one of the finest examples of Scandinavian architecture in the western hemisphere. Mansion built by Lora Knight. Architect Palme estimated the projects total cost at $500,000. It was first published on this website in August 2018 and is presented in its original form. Lora and her husband, James, traveled extensively in California as to foreign countries. [2], In 1922, she married stockbroker Harry French Knight of St. The over 70-foot long Bleu Wave carries up to 50 passengers and includes a private lounge, fireplace and more. Make sure that the file is a photo. By the 1870s Lick was in poor health, but still fiercely determined to build the observatory. His body was taken to the Moore home, to Lora, in a private ambulance. Nearby Fannette Island, the only island in the lake, has the remains of Knight's "Tea House" perched atop its craggy peak and is a popular spot for picnics and parties. They visited Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden as they inspected buildings dating back 1,000 years. [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. Astronomers suggested that a high-altitude mountain location above atmospheric dust and away from city light would be the best location. [2][7], In 1927, she divorced Harry Knight, charging him with "extreme cruelty. Their Wisconsin chateau boasted 27 rooms, a wine cellar and a two-lane bowling alley. Your donation will help us continue to cover COVID-19 and our other vital local news. 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. If Lake Tahoe was tipped upside-down . At his 21st birthday party, all of the guests were given pearl necklaces. 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.. What Makes It Unique: In the late 1920s, Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight purchased land on Emerald Bay. Its manicured gardens offer panoramic views of the Pacific. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). He too had development plans that never materialized and in 1953 donated the . McLaughlin says the replicas were so exact, Knight even had the ages of the wood matched and scratch marks on the original copied. 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 . She exhibited Indian baskets, including some by the noted Washoe weaver Dat-So-La-Lee, also known as Louisa Keyser. Lora was 20 years old when she gave birth to her only child, a son named Nathaniel Moore. The bridge was not the only major . Lora Josephine Knight was a philanthropist who valued community and education. [9] Vikingsholm eventually became part of Emerald Bay State Park. James Hobart Moore passed away in 1916 at their home in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. She then had 200 workers build Vikingsholm. A sod roof was installed on the north and south wings, so that grasses and wildflowers could grow. Not a lot to do there, except hike up to the Tea House and take some photos. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Please try again later. The Vikingsholm castle greets visitors to Emerald Bay. Subscribe to Envato Elements for unlimited Stock Video downloads for a single monthly fee. 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. Burial Burial Details Unknown. They also spent time at their luxury homes in Illinois and Wisconsin. By the 1870s Lick was in poor health, but still fiercely determined to build the observatory. The castle was commissioned by Lora Josephine Knight in 1928, as her summer home in an area that reminded her of Scandinavian fjords. They agreed to be major supporters. 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. There, visitors tour Vikingsholm, a stone-and-timber mansion built by Lora Josephine Knight in 1929 at Emerald Bay, which reminded her of a Scandinavian fjord. [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. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. 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 . 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