Who was Tantalus?
Tantalus is a figure from Greek mythology, known for his grievous offenses against the gods and the severe punishment he endured as a result. He was a king, often identified as the son of Zeus and the nymph Plouto, and the father of Pelops, Niobe, and Broteas. His most notorious crime was stealing ambrosia and nectar from the gods to share with his mortal friends, an act which was considered a grave violation of divine trust.

Additionally, in a more gruesome myth, Tantalus is said to have killed his son, Pelops, and served him as a meal to the gods to test their omniscience. The gods, however, were not deceived and were horrified by Tantalus's actions. As punishment for these transgressions, Tantalus was condemned to an eternal torment in Tartarus (a deep, gloomy part of the underworld).

His punishment was to stand in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree with low branches. Whenever he reached for the fruit, the branches would lift out of his grasp, and whenever he bent down to drink, the water would recede. This gave rise to the term "tantalize," meaning to tease or torment by offering something desirable but keeping it out of reach.

The mythology behind the name makes me very curious about who and why they named the creek Tantalus Creek.