Alaska Facts and History

What do you know about the Iditarod Trail? What follows is a story about a historic trail, a serum run and a world-famous sled dog race. Enjoy.

The map above shows the route of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race.

Native Alaskans were using the Iditarod Trail, long before the arrival of European explorers in the 1800s.

Then the discovery of gold in Turnagain Arm and further north, created a need for the trail.

In 1908, the Alaska Railroad Commission sent Walter Goodwin and a crew of nine to find a route through Alaska. Goodwin and his team marked the original Iditarod for those who would follow.

The Iditarod Trail connected the Northern village of Nome to the southern town of Seward. The trail was used for mail delivery, by gold prospectors, settlers, and travelers.

BONUS

Take a closer look at the Iditarod Trail and discover.

The Diphtheria Outbreak

In 1925, Nome was facing an epidemic and many of the children were sick with diphtheria.

The only medicine that could stop the outbreak was in Anchorage, Alaska.

However, the only aircraft that could deliver the serum fast enough had a frozen engine.

In the photo above is a dog team on the 1925 Iditarod Trail.

The “Great Race of Mercy”

It was decided that sled dog teams could be used to get the much-needed medication to Nome. So, 25 sled dog mushers set out to do a “serum Run”.

Relay teams were used to deliver the medicine a total of 674 miles from Nenana to Nome.

The Great Race of Mercy was successful, saving hundreds of lives.

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48 Years Later

In the photo above is Joe Redington Sr.

A sled dog racer named Joe Redington Sr. had an idea. Then Joe got together with some others, including Dorothy Page to set up a race.

While Joe Redington Sr. is considered the “Father of the Iditarod” race, his wife Vi had this to say:

“Originally, we most certainly did not think of our race of the race trail in any connection whatsoever with the famous Nenana to Nome serum run. We had no intention to connect the two.”

Race co-founder Dorothy Page described Redington’s idea as remembering the 25 mushers who made the serum run. The musher they chose to honor was Leonhard Seppala.

Dorothy Page said this:

“Seppala was picked to represent all the mushers. He died in 1967.”

In the photo above is Leonhard Seppala with his dog team.

The Iditarod Sled Dog Race

The first race was in 1973. It was a way to celebrate the memory of Leonhard Seppala, one of the 25 mushers who participated in the serum run, also known as the “Great Race of Mercy”.

BONUS

Take a look at the Iditarod Race History and enjoy.

Balto, another Iditarod Hero

In the photo above is Balto (the dog) with his serum run musher, Gunnar Kaasen

Balto was a Siberian Husky and sled dog of Leonhard Seppala.

As with many events in history, the story of Balto and the 1925 serum run is a little confusing. But for purposes of this look at Alaska Facts and History, we’ll go with the Balto was a hero story.

The media has taken to Balto and created a hero. Balto was made even more famous in a 1995 animated movie.

The Iditarod Trail

In 1978, the United States Congress designated the Iditarod Trail as a National Historic Trail.

From Our North Stars (that’s you)

From our Anchorage Swimming Memories edition.

“You actually got a sunburn in 50's/60's Anchorage? I only had the “pleasure” of a snow-burn from skiing. My cousins and I would lay out along Goose Lake many a day but never did I ever receive a suntan, let along sunburn. My skin tone is what we called “fish belly white”. Dad would take me fishing at Spenard lake. I have some pictures from 1956 of us at the lake. The SPA. OF COURSE. Sometimes our cub scout troop was allowed to use the pool at Fort Rich.”

Randall

“I spent a lot of time at Goose Lake back in the 60s each time the temp reached 70 or better. One day, in 1966, I was walking from the Airport across to whee I lived near Clack Jr. High, feeling very low and was walking across the beach around Goose Lake and a past girlfriend was there as if she was waiting for me to come through. That was for me one of the happiest moments of that whole year. Thank you Diane. :)”

Johnny

“have fond memories of swimming in Spenard, Goose, Mirror and Jewel Lakes. We used to swim across Jewel Lake and back, and I remember waterskiing on Sand Lake and Big Lake (5 days after Ice-out). We also used to swim in Ship Creek. You can swim FAST downstream.”

Mark

“When I was growing up, I lived in Valdez (from 1951 until 1968). We would usually visit Anchorage in the late spring (after breakup was pretty much finalized), and didn't get to go to the lake areas. Mostly, in our free time over a weekend visit, we'd head for the roller rink, where both my mom and dad were welcomed, because they were (VERY good) roller dancers from their youth. Our whole family would get to skate free because Mom and Dad would “show off” for everyone else--an impromptu show. After I moved to Anchorage in 1970, I learned about cooling off at Goose Lake, and we (myself and my two small children at that time) had some really great times there. That was when my ex-husband was still in the army, and stationed (after returning from Vietnam) at Fort Richardson. My oldest girl (of my eventually six children) was two years old in January 1970, and my oldest boy was born that February (at the Elmendorf Hospital). Jen loved to romp in the sand and wade with me at the edges of the shoreline, while I backpacked Jim Jr. as I strolled and enjoyed the cool water and the sunshine. Dad Jim was never able to go with us, due to being on active duty at the base, but it was my favorite place to get away from our tiny upstairs apartment.”

Linda

“We spent may summer days at Spenard Lake. We liked "riding" swells created by the planes taking off from and landing on Lake Hood. I remember passing the Red Cross life saving class there in the late 1940s.”

Edi

“Brrr! I guess Alaska residents are acclimated to swimming in the lakes there in summer. As a long-time Southern Arizona resident, it's difficult to imagine. We took a trip to Anchorage in the summer, August 2 years ago, and needed a coat or jacket every day! But that Spa Swimming Pool looks inviting. Nice to know about the lakes in Alaska for swimming.”

Anonymous

And this comment about our Center Bowl question

“I didn't bowl at Center Bowl very much because my parents didn't allow us to go there often because beer was served. (My parents were weird). But I do remember often going walking to the movies at Center Theater which was just across the street. I lived on 36th Avenue & Lois Drive, so it wasn't a far walk back then.”

AkGrlPilot

Do You Remember?

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Mike and Mary

Anchorage Memories.com