Editing Lake Tahoe (section)

== Folklore ==
Lake Tahoe is home to various legends that have been passed down through local Native American traditions and other sources. These include stories about Water Babies, the Ong, Tahoe Tessie, and the Ghosts of Fannette Island.

=== Water Babies ===
{{Main|Water Babies (folklore)}}
In Washoe tradition, Water Babies are powerful spirits believed to inhabit bodies of water including those of Lake Tahoe. They were thought to have the ability to cause harm or even death. Washoe healers would visit sacred places, such as Cave Rock, to consult with the Water Babies, bringing offerings in the hope of gaining their favor and strength.<ref name="powder">{{cite web |title=Tahoe Lore: Underneath the Surface |author=Quintin Mills |date=April 9, 2024 |url=https://www.powder.com/region-california/tahoe-lore |website=Powder |access-date=September 16, 2024}}</ref><ref name="washoe">{{cite web |title=The Washoe Tribe and Their History Around Lake Tahoe |url=https://visitlaketahoe.com/attractions/the-washoe-tribe-and-their-history-around-lake-tahoe/ |website=Visit Lake Tahoe |access-date=September 16, 2024}}</ref><ref name="northwoods"/>

=== Ong ===
{{Main|Ong (Washoe folklore)}}
The Ong is a figure from Washoe legend, described as a large bird that lived in Lake Tahoe. It was said to prey on animals and humans. One legend recounts that a young man named Tahoe was captured by the Ong but managed to escape by feeding it poisoned arrowheads. The bird was believed to have died and sunk into the lake.<ref name="powder" /><ref name="washoe" /><ref name="northwoods">{{cite journal |title=Lake Legends of Wa She Shu |author=Allison Jones |date=November–December 2018 |journal=Northwoods Tahoe |publisher=Community Media LLC |url=https://issuu.com/communityinkinc/docs/northwoodstahoe_novdec_finalproof2/s/27883 |access-date=September 16, 2024}}</ref>

=== Tahoe Tessie ===
{{Main|Tahoe Tessie}}
Tahoe Tessie is a reported creature said to live in Lake Tahoe. Descriptions of Tessie resemble those of other lake monsters, such as the Loch Ness Monster, with many believing it to be a large aquatic animal, potentially a sturgeon.<ref name="visitlaketahoe">{{cite web |title=4 Fun Things You May Not Know About Lake Tahoe |url=https://visitlaketahoe.com/attractions/4-fun-things-you-may-not-know-about-lake-tahoe/ |website=Visit Lake Tahoe |access-date=September 16, 2024}}</ref>

=== Ghosts of Fannette Island ===
Fannette Island in Emerald Bay is purportedly haunted by the ghost of Captain Richard Barter, a man who lived on the island in the late 1800s. He died while returning to the island in 1873, and some local stories claim that his ghost can be seen wandering the island.<ref name="visitlaketahoe" />