Dangberg Summer festival kicks off with Chautauquan, author events at Dangberg Historic Park Aug. 4 and 5
A Chautauqua of Lora Josephine Knight and author Clare Frank open August’s events during the 2023 Summer Festival at Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park.
On Friday, August 4, from 10 to 11 a.m., Guinevere Hobdy will give a repeat performance as Lora Josephine Knight, widowed heiress and builder of Vikingsholm at Lake Tahoe’s Emerald Bay. This event is free for all to attend.
Lora Josephine Knight, a widowed heiress, bought Emerald Bay in 1928 and built her summer home known to all as the Vikingsholm in 1929. She had long admired the Emerald Bay area. She was particularly enchanted with the rugged mountain scenery, Eagle Falls cascading down the sheer granite cliffs and picturesque Fannette Island in the middle of Emerald Bay. Mrs. Knight spent fifteen summers at Vikingsholm where the days were relaxed with a bit of structure, until her death in 1945.
Guinevere Hobdy has been a resident of Nevada since 1976 and has spent the last thirty years living in Carson Valley. She loves all things Nevada, especially the history and beautiful outdoors, including Lake Tahoe. Fifteen years ago, she watched her first Chautauqua at Sand Harbor, at Lake Tahoe, which sparked her interest. In recent years she has attended Chautauqua events and classes hosted by Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park. With her love for history, Nevada, and Lake Tahoe, she is excited to share the story of building the Vikingsholm by Lora Josephine Knight. This event is free for all to attend.
This season’s Chautauqua programs are all funded in part by a generous grant from Nevada Humanities and National Endowment for the Humanities. For a complete list of upcoming Chautauquas during the Dangberg Summer Festival, please visit Dangberg.org.
On Saturday, August 5, from 10-11am, author Clare Frank will give a presentation on her book "Burnt: a Memoir of Fighting Fire." This event is free for all to attend.
When Clare Frank was seventeen years old, she became a firefighter in Northern California. Frank’s brother was a firefighter and loved it, so she thought she would try it out, too. Very soon, she knew she had found her calling.
"Burnt: A Memoir of Fighting Fire" chronicles the transformation of a young adult determined to prove her mettle into a scarred and sensitive veteran, grappling with the weight of her duties as Chief of Fire Prevention, one of the highest-ranking women in Cal Fire history, while record-setting fires engulf her home state.
The Chautauqua of Agnes Train Janssen, previously scheduled for Wednesday, August 2, has been rescheduled to Wednesday, August 16, from 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Visitors should bring their own lawn chair or other seating for all events and only service animals are allowed. Guests are welcome to bring snacks and libations, as no food or beverages will be available. All events take place outdoors under a large tent. For more information about visiting the park, including guided tours, please visit Dangberg.org.