Editing Old Lyme, Connecticut (section)

===Roger: The Rogers Lake Monster===
Roger is the name given to a legendary lake monster said to inhabit Rogers Lake, a natural freshwater lake located in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Much like the Loch Ness Monster and Lake Champlain’s Champ, Roger’s existence is a subject of debate. While many locals dismiss him as mere folklore, others speculate that he may be a relative of the plesiosaur, an ancient group of aquatic reptiles. Although no scientific evidence has emerged to support the creature’s existence, over 200 reported sightings have been documented. The legend of Roger continues to be a draw for tourists visiting the Old Lyme and Lyme areas.

Connecticut Native American tribes referred to the creature as "Caca-togo."

According to a report from the Connecticut Association of Cryptozoology (CAC), the first documented sighting of Roger occurred in 1878, when renowned local artist Florence Griswold witnessed the creature. As the story goes, Griswold was setting up a canvas on the northeast shore when she saw a large, long-necked, grey-skinned, dinosaur-like creature rise 20 feet above the surface before quickly submerging. She later told her family that she didn’t view the creature as a threat, but rather was simply fascinated by it. For years afterward, Griswold incorporated Roger into several of her paintings, humorously inspiring Lyme Art Academy Professor Herbert A. Strekel to remark, "If Picasso had his red period and Monet had his blue period, then Florence Griswold had her Lake Monster period."