California State Parks is looking to restore a building that's almost 100 years old in the Lake Tahoe Basin.
Restoration work on the historic castle will start next week.
The Vikingsholm building is at Emerald Bay State Park.
The Lake Tahoe Basin brings in millions of visitors every single year and California State Parks says the Vikingsholm is typically on the top of a lot of visitors' lists.
It adds a lot of rich history to the area, history that spans almost a century.
"It was Lauren Knights Estate built in 1929," said Kaytlen Jackson, Public Information Officer for the Sierra District, California State Parks. "In 1928, the year prior, she took a trip to Scandinavia with her son-in-law who ended up being the architect for this building and they were inspired by Scandinavian architecture."Â
The castle didn't take as long as you would expect for it to be built.
"She brought more than 200 masons, carpenters, and other crafts people to build the home over the course of a single summer," Jackson said.
This tourist attraction brings out many sightseers.
"There's a lot of really unique features," Jackson said. "A lot of beautiful carvings and paintings throughout the home. I feel like everywhere you look there's something new to see. It's just beautiful nestled here in Emerald Bay."
However, one event is now making California State Parks restore the historic Vikingsholm.
"In 2021, there was a 4.2 magnitude earthquake in the area that caused a lot of the building to shift," Jackson said.
The restoration project will be split into two parts.
"The first phase we are going to focus on the turret and the chimneys," Jackson said. "The turret requires stabilization. They're going to excavate the foundation and stabilize it with concrete grade beams. they're also going to replace the stone veneer on the exterior of the turret."
The chimneys will see their cracked bricks replaced and they will also seal some of the cracks so water doesn't seep into the house.
The second phase is focused on the morning room.
"The morning room is made up completely of stone and so they're going to be stabilizing that room, fixing the plaster on the interior of the building," Jackson said. "So, there's quite a few cracks that need to be restored and then finally a paint conservator is going to come in and restore the motif on the ceiling of the room."
Despite the restoration work, visitors will still be able to tour the historic castle, they just may have to avoid the work that's being done.
The restoration project looks to be finished by the end of summer or beginning of fall.
