In Lake Tahoe folklore, Tahoe Tessie is a creature which resides in North America's largest alpine lake, Lake Tahoe, located in Nevada and California. It is said to live in an underwater tunnel that is beneath Cave Rock. Founder of the University of California, Davis's Tahoe Research Group Charles R. Goldman attributes claimed sightings to pareidolia and the mistaken identification of a large breed of fish introduced to Lake Tahoe during trout and mackinaw plantings. The talk of Tessie is similar to the Loch Ness monster "Nessie".[1]
Tahoe Tessie is a popular logo for many Tahoe-based companies, with a cartoon version being in many children's picture books, and a popular character featured in local newspapers. There used to be a local museum and hotline, but both have closed. Purported sightings continue in modern times.[2]