Nevada Focus: Wealthy woman’s Tahoe estate now a charity case

Thursday, Aug. 20, 1998 | 1:43 a.m.

For about 45 years, California has maintained Vikingsholm as part of its park system. But the budget cuts have reduced funds available for care of the 70-year-old estate on Tahoe's southwest shore.

"The state, unfortunately, because of the budget crises, has let it fall into disrepair," says South Lake Tahoe Council Member Tom Davis.

To help get more money for the park, a group of area residents and patrons, including Davis and veteran Vikingsholm tour guide Helen H. Smith, have formed the Vikingsholm Project Council to raise needed funds.

Working under the auspices of the California State Parks Foundation, the group is setting up one fund to stop immediate deterioration and another for long-term projects.

The first major fund-raiser will take place during the Labor Day Lake Tahoe celebration. Tickets to ride on the M.S. Dixie II and the Tahoe Queen during the tour boats' annual race will be sold for $50 each and donated to the Vikingsholm fund.

But many more fund-raisers will be needed.

A list of repair needs, divided into "major urgent needs," "urgent needs" and "expensive future repairs," includes a $565,000 estimate for the first category alone.

The projects include major repairs to the roof of the Vikingsholm castle, considered one of the best examples of Scandinavian architecture in the United States, to keep water from damaging the interior.

Also on the top-priority list are repairs to exterior walls and a courtyard, and landscaping work to fix paths that are falling apart and to get rid of diseased trees.

Lower down on the list of projects are wood refinishing, fire protection, foundation stabilization and wooden walkway repairs.

Vikingsholm was built by Lora Moore-Knight, a member of a wealthy Illinois family who had moved to California. In addition to the main house and grounds, there's a stone teahouse on Fannette Island, a rock outcropping in the middle of Emerald Bay.

Despite its remote location, the estate had modern conveniences, including plumbing and electricity. Years ago, you could drive down a steep road to the estate. Now, it's a short hike from the highway that overlooks the scenic bay.

Mrs. Smith is more of a tour guide and advocate for the estate's preservation - she was raised in Santa Barbara, Calif., where Mrs. Knight had her permanent home, and as a child spent many summers as a Vikingsholm guest.

Besides her friends, Mrs. Knight also invited a few celebrities to stay at the estate during the 1930s and 1940s, including Will Rogers and Charles Lindbergh.

During her tours, Mrs. Smith tells tourists about the calm, elegant way of life at Vikingsholm, where Mrs. Knight had a household staff of 15 and would entertain up to a dozen guests at any one time.

Mrs. Smith also describes the history of various pieces of furniture and decorations in the home, telling how Mrs. Knight bought many of them in Scandinavia. Some are original antiques, others are reproductions of museum pieces.

"In my entire lifetime, I've been fortunate enough to spend 43 summers living at Vikingsholm," Mrs. Smith says. "It's still fun to be here. I just love it."