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August 01, 2006
Tahoe's Scandinavian Castle
Views of Emerald Bay
The hike to Vikingsholm
We saw magnificent mountain scenery from the trail
Lora Knight's masterpiece
Vikingsholm easily could have been named Asgard, legendary home of the Viking gods. Nestled in tall pines, this magnificent house, built to resemble a Scandinavian castle, sits on the lip of beautiful Emerald Bay on Lake Tahoe, making it place fit for Odin and his brethren.
It had been awhile since we'd visited Vikingholm, so recently we drove to Lake Tahoe and made the trek to the three-story landmark. Originally a private residence, Vikingsholm has been part of the California State Park system since 1953 and is open for tours during the summer months.
To reach it, travel south of Reno to Carson City and then head west on U.S. 50 to Lake Tahoe. Continue around the south end of the lake on State Route 89 until you reach the scenic overlook at Emerald Bay. Vikingsholm is located about 35 miles from Carson City.
From the park lot, which offers some of the best views of Emerald Bay, you'll find the trail leading downhill to the home. The walk is a fairly steep one-mile journey through tall pines that passes by a handful of scenic, seasonal waterfalls.
Vikingsholm was the creation of Lora J. Knight, a wealthy Illinois woman who, in 1928, purchased 239 acres at the head of Emerald Bay (for $250,000). She decided to build a summer home on the site and hired Lennart Palme, a Swedish architect and her nephew, to design the house with a Scandinavian influence.
Following a trip to Scandinavia to gather ideas, Mrs. Knight authorized construction to begin in the summer of 1928. Work on the house ceased during the winter months but restarted the next spring. Amazingly, the house was completed by the end of the summer.
The house was constructed of locally cut pine and fir with local granite boulders and rocks that were embedded in mortar. Interior walls were hand planed and accented with delicate, hand carvings.
Mrs. Knight stayed at Vikingsholm for 15 summers, until her death in 1945. A few years later, it was acquired by the state of California and became a park.
The best way to learn about Vikingsholm is by taking the guided tour of the house, which is worth the admission charge. If possible, try to take one given by Helen H. Smith, who, as a child spent 14 consecutive summers as a guest at Vikingsholm. She has also written an excellent booklet about the house, which is sold at the end of the tour.
Tours of Vikingsholm are offered on weekends from Memorial Day weekend to July, then daily until late September or October. Tours are offered between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. For more information, call 530-525-7232.---Richard Moreno
Posted by Rich Moreno at August 1, 2006 01:56 PM