Catching up…. Architect Palme estimated the project’s total cost at $500,000. Newspapers reported that Nathaniel’s death had a devastating impact on his parents, especially his father, who grew ill soon after. I've heard stories about the wealthy woman who built the teahouse on the island. Currently it is used as a hiking trail by those wishing to visit this remarkable castle. After a short marriage to Henry Knight, yet keeping his last name, Lora Knight went to work on creating the castle of her dreams to blend in with the bay. Now part of Emerald Bay State Park, Vikingsholm was once the summer home for Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight. The figure the Armstrongs couldn’t walk away from was $250,000, about $3.7 million when adjusted for inflation. The items she couldn’t import she had replicated. Some parts of the structure contain no nails or spikes, as a result of old-fashioned construction methods. Read More. Some parts of the structure contain no nails or spikes, as a result of old-fashioned construction methods. She built Vikingsholm after the divorce and spent most of her summers here. Apparently, she chose the Scandinavian motif because she had admired Palme’s own Scandinavian-designed home in New York. They agreed to be major supporters. It is located along the shores of Lake Tahoe and each year sees thousands of visitors who come to take in its history and beauty. Knight had become acquaintances with the Armstrong’s through church affiliations and after the purchase she would build her majestic Vikingsholm the following year. Before starting construction, Mrs. Knight and her architect traveled to Scandinavia to gather ideas for the house. After Lora's father passed, the brothers took over the law firm and together, they became incredibly wealthy businessmen based in Chicago. Before starting construction, Mrs. Knight and her architect traveled to Scandinavia to gather ideas for the house. Mrs. Knight had it graded in 1929 for $10,000 so that she and her guests could arrive by automobile. 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. This spectacular site was originally built to be the summer residence of Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight. Today, the historic estate feels almost as much a part of Emerald Bay as Eagle Falls, Fanette Island or the centuries-old trees. Then…I got sick Dislike. Lora Small (Knight) was born in Galena, Illinois, in 1864 of 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. It was first published on this website in August 2018 and is presented in its original form. Emerald Bay State Park is one of the most popular destinations in Lake Tahoe. Mrs. Knight was originally Lora Josephine Small of Galena, Illinois, the daughter of a corporate lawyer. 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 Lindbergh’s famed 1927 flight across the Atlantic from New York to Paris. Lora and James Moore moved to Santa Barbara for the ocean air. 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 Chicago’s most famous and expensive house of prostitution. After Edward Small’s death, William and James took over the firm and formed the Moore Brothers partnership. First, Huell . Lora Josephine Knight was a philanthropist who valued community and education. 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. 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. His body was taken to the Moore home, to Lora, in a private ambulance. Lora Josephine Knight purchased the property encompassing the head of Emerald Bay and Fannette Island in 1928 for $250,000. Lora J. Knight Many people assume that Mrs. Knight was of Scandinavian origin because of her decision to build Vikingsholm but she was actually of English decent. HISTORY Situated majestically below shear granite cliffs, among towering pines and cedars, Vikingsholm was built as a summer home by Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight in 1929. The widowed heiress is Lora Josephine Knight. According to McLaughlin, Lora Knight was known for her hospitality and philanthropy. 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