The Tahoe Forest la named after Lake Tahoe which 

 was firot seen by white men on February 14, 1644, when 

 Captein John C. Fremont crossed the Sierras Just south of 

 Freol'e Pet . Fremont believed that this lake was one of 

 the aourcec of the American River, and BO placed it on his 

 first nap. In the early fifties itc true position was 

 discovered, and the name Lake Bigler given, after John 

 Bigler, the Governnor of California. Later the name 

 Tahoo was printed on the maps and the lake is now known by 

 no other name. 



Tahoe is an Indian name meaning "Big Water", 

 "Hi.^h YTeter" or"Fleh Lake". The Indians of the Washoe 

 tribe pronounced the word "Taou" which may be readily 

 exaggerated to Tahoe, the general pronunciation of the 

 word. These Indians also gave other meanings to the word, 

 such ao "Cold Water", "Water-Close- to-Snowe" "Duck-Beet", 

 "Water-Where-the-White-Fieh-Live", "Lake-of-Big-Wind", in 

 fact almost any name which strikes tho fancy of the Indian 

 questioned. 



According to "A History of the Comstoclc Silver 

 Lode and Mines" Lake Tahoe and the Hi^h Sierras" by W. H. 

 77ri.7ht, the word Tahoe is popularly supposed to be a Washoe 

 Indian T:ord that means "Big Water". Drake, in his "Cali- 

 fornia nines", gives the meaning as "Big Water". 



The Tahoe Forest is crossed by two old emigrant 

 roads, which were used by the early pioneers in the days 

 of '49. The most famous of these roads is perhaps the one 

 across Donner Pass, and which passes through Emigrant Gap. 

 It was while attempting to come over the summit by this 

 road that the Donner Party met its fete, Docr.er Lake near 

 Truc!:ee being ncinod after this unfortunate party. A 

 lar^e wooden cross raaris the site of the camp where so 

 many members of this party perished. 



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