Summer days at Tahoe’s Vikingsholm.
Vikingsholm, the strange and beautiful jewel of Emerald Bay, has no equal at Lake Tahoe. This Scandinavian-inspired home includes a sod roof, dragon beams, and showstopping views. Best of all, we can all visit it, giving us a chance to step into a bygone era of lavish, unhurried living and dining.
The story began in 1928. Wealthy philanthropist Lora Josephine Knight bought the land for a summer home, taking advantage of the magnificent surroundings. The area evoked memories of fjords she had seen in Scandinavia. She enlisted her nephew by marriage, Lennart Palme, a Swedish architect, to design the home. Vikingsholm was completed in the fall of 1929.
An All-inclusive Resort
Vikingsholm had everything we now think an all-inclusive resort should feature: gorgeous location, pampered guests, round-the-clock dining, and plenty of activities. The only thing missing was alcohol, since Knight herself did not partake.
Many details are described in Vikingsholm: Tahoe’s Hidden Castle by Helen Henry Smith. The booklet describes how Knight arrived at the lake in the middle of June and stayed until the middle of September. She had a staff of about 15, including her private secretary, personal maid, cook, assistant cook, upstairs and downstairs maids, chauffeur, assistant chauffeur, and laundry women.
Many friends and family members visited during the summer months, with stays varying in length from one night to an entire summer. Occasionally, celebrities such as Will Rogers and Charles Lindbergh visited. Guests were offered a full array of nearby activities. Knight arranged swimming, horseback riding, and trips around the lake by boat or car for her guests. People would talk or read while taking in the spectacular views. Some would fish, trying their luck at catching trout or sea salmon off the dock or at Eagle Falls, as it empties into the bay. Hiking was a favorite activity. Afternoon cruises on Knight’s boat, the Valkyrie, sometimes concluded with dinner at the Tahoe Tavern. When possible, these excursions took advantage of a full moon, so the return trip would appear magical, with the light shining a pathway across the lake.
Like good all-inclusive resorts, the day revolved around food. Meals were sumptuous and served in the dining room by the serving maid, with the upstairs maid helping if needed. The house was equipped with a selection of china, crystal, and silver. Each meal featured fresh linen mats and napkins. Despite the rustic setting, meals were enhanced by finger bowls containing wildflowers picked by the maids.
Some rules were unavoidable. Guests were expected to be prompt to meals. Dresses and business suits were standard, with fancier clothes for dinner. Formal attire was not customary. Bathing suits and riding clothes were worn when appropriate during the day, but guests immediately changed when they returned to the house.
Gracious Meal Traditions
At 7 a.m., the upstairs maid knocked on guests’ doors to rouse them for breakfast, which was promptly served at 8 a.m. Lunch was served at 12:30 p.m. Once a month, lunches or dinners were served at the picnic grounds, with the staff transporting the meals. A few guests walked, but most were taken in one of the smaller boats.
The tradition of tea was celebrated, whether guests were hungry or not. It was served at 4 p.m., and if the weather was cool, tea was set in the living room or the library, near the fireplace’s warmth. When the days were warm, the service took place on the terrace. Sometimes it was ferried out to the teahouse on Fannette Island in Emerald Bay. Hospitality was reciprocated by other friends who lived around the lake for either tea, especially when served on the island, or dinner.
A leisurely meal began at 6:30 p.m. Knight had a pre-dinner ritual. She slipped into the pantry to prepare the appropriate salad dressing. The standards for the food were high. Blueberries were delivered from Oregon, and fresh vegetables frequently were brought from the vegetable gardens at Knight’s winter home in Santa Barbara. When steaks were on the menu, they were barbecued by David, the chauffeur, who used the outdoor brick grill.
Vikingsholm is considered one of the finest examples of Scandinavian architecture in the United States — and it’s in our backyard. Now part of the Emerald Bay State Park, it’s open for tours during the summer months. Unless you visit by boat, it’s a steep one-mile walk down to this quirky retreat. Use your imagination, and you almost can feel the warmth of fireplaces and the sound of crisp linens snapping in the laundry yard. You almost can believe that Knight and her guests simply stepped out of the restored rooms for a day of unhurried leisure.
