Episode 22 - The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race

There are countless great events across the great United States of America.  These capture the history and culture of the areas.  Some are known only to local inhabitants.  But one event is known world wide.  It is the Alaskan Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.  

In this episode I want to explore some of the story behind the story of this great race.  I invite you to hitch up and experience some of the thrilling background of this race and it's heroic mushers and sled dogs.

A special thanks to my friends and fellow Sojourners, Danny and Lynn Spain and Tom and Donna Boatwright, intrepid and inspiring Alaskan Travelers.

Transcript

Hello Friends,

 I’m your host Dave Laton and welcome to Signs of Our Time, Discovering America’s heritage, one sign at a time.

 This podcast is designed to provide the story behind the story found on America’s roadside historical signs and markers.  

 The great state of Alaska is known for many natural and historical sites and events.  In an earlier episode, Episode 4, I featured the Great Alaskan Highway.  I also mentioned the Great Alaskan Earthquake in Episode 16.  But perhaps one of the most famous events known only to Alaska is the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.  It is seeped in history and personifies the indomitable spirit and strength of the Alaskan and consequently, the American people.  

 In this episode I want to look at the story behind the story of this great race.

 In early Alaskan history it was difficult to get much needed supplies and mail into most areas of Alaska, especially some of the remote and mountainous areas.  Going back to its heritage, a system of sled dogs and drivers, known as mushers, established a trail marked with roadhouses other waystations between key points and villages.  

 These intrepid mushers would venture out in all kinds of weather.  So for safety reasons as well as keeping the freight moving, they created a system very similar to what aircraft pilots use.  They would file a plan for their journey.  Word would be relayed ahead of the mushers that they and their team were on the trail.  A kerosene lamp would be lit and hung outside the roadhouse.  It helped the team locate their destination at night and signified that the team was out on the trail.  The lamp was kept lit until the musher safely reached their destination.

 One such trail is known as the Iditarod trail.  The word Iditarod is an Indian word meaning clear water and is named after the Iditarod River.  The historic Iditarod Trail served as an important shipping and communication link during the Alaska Gold Rush era in the 1800’s.  It was used by Native Alaskans for hunting and travel long before non-natives arrived.  The trail was further developed starting in 1908 to facilitate access to gold fields.

 With the growth of bush pilots and aircraft, the use of dog sledding waned.  This led to the decline of the sled dog culture and the disuse of the trail.

 Then in 1925, the famous “Serum Run” occurred that forever locked in the Iditarod Trail as a key point in Alaskan history.  In the winter of 1924 and 25, Curtis Welch was the only doctor in Nome.  The small hospital where he worked with four nurses was the only medical service in the surrounding area.  They discovered that the hospital’s supply of diphtheria antitoxin had expired.  Although Dr. Welch placed an order for more, the shipment would not arrive until spring after the ice melted allowing access.  

 Then in December 1924, several children began to show symptoms that would later be recognized as diphtheria.  Then it spread to family members and others around town.  Over the next few weeks, the number of cases grew, and four children had died.

In mid-January 1925, the first official diagnoses of diphtheria was made in a three year old boy.  Unfortunately, he died three weeks later.  Then others continued to show symptoms.  Dr. Welch attempted to treat cases with the expired antitoxin, but it was ineffective.

 Recognizing that an epidemic was imminent, Dr. Welch arranged an emergency meeting with the mayor and other city officials, and a quarantine was implemented.  The next day Dr. Welch sent radio messages to other towns in Alaska alerting them to the health risk.  He also sent a message to the U.S. Public Health Service in Washington, D.C. alerting them of the desperate need for the  serum.  

By the end of January, there were over 20 confirmed cases and at least 50 more at risk.  Without the antitoxin, it was feared that the surrounding population of around 10,000 people would experience close to an amazing 100% mortality rate.  

Although airplanes were used during this period, the Alaskan harsh winter made them unreliable. The only planes available were three vintage biplanes which had been dismantled for the winter.  

 Then in late January, Mark Summers of the Hammon Consolidated Gold Fields proposed a dog sled relay using two fast teams.  One would start in Nenana, Alaska, and another at Nome.  They would meet approximately halfway in the town of Nulato.  The trip from Nulato to Nome usually took 30 days.  The problem was that the serum would only survive six days under the brutal conditions on the trail. 

One of Mark Summer’s employees, a sled dog trainer and champion musher named Leonhard Seppala was chosen to make the 630 mile round trip from Nome to Nulato and back.  He had previously broken a record for the trip making it in 4 days.  It is appropriate to mention here that in addition to the heroics of Leonhard Seppala, he was aided in the trip by his equally famous lead 12 year-old dog, Togo.  

The Public Health Service had located 1.1 million units of serum and shipped them to Seattle to be transported to Alaska.  Additionally, 300,000 units of antitoxin were located in a hospital in Anchorage.  

 Keep in mind, Alaska’s winters are harsh even in a normal year.  Unfortunately, this year it was even worse.  Due to a high-pressure system from the arctic, the temperature in Fairbanks was a minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit.  Winds were clocked at 25 mph covering the panhandle in snowdrifts up to 10-foot tall.  Travel by sea was hazardous and most transportation in the interior had been shut down.  It truly seemed hopeless for the people in Nome.

After quick organization of teams with 20 teams and over 100 dogs the race against nature and time began. Together, the teams covered the 674 miles in 127 ½ hours which was considered a world record.  It was done in subzero temperatures and near-blizzard conditions with hurricane force winds.  Many dogs died during the trip.  

 After the conclusion of the trip, all participants in the dogsleds received letters of commendation from President Calving Coolidge.  Each musher during the first relay received a gold medal.  

 The event also helped inspire the Air Mail Act of 1925 that allowed private aviation companies to bid on mail delivery contracts.  Technology improved and soon air mail routes were established in Alaska.  The last mail delivery by private dog sled took place in 1938 and the last US Post Office dog sled route closed in 1963.  

 Dog sledding remained popular in rural areas but was overcome by the growth of the availability and use of snowmobiles.  Interest and participation waned.

 That’s a lot of background for the Iditarod Race.  In fact, there is much more.  As you can imagine, there was a tremendous effort behind the scenes that many are unaware of.  Like most events, it takes a large team working together behind the scenes to support the effort of the ones leading and carrying out the event.

I want to shift now and talk about the Iditarod race itself.  The modern Iditarod Race was started by Joe Redington Sr., known as the "Father of the Iditarod.”  He envisioned a long-distance race to preserve both the sled dog culture and the historic Iditarod Trail. He partnered with two teachers, Tom Johnson and Gleo Huyck to plan and organize the first race in 1973. The race also owes a debt to Dorothy G. Page, who advocated for an Iditarod Trail race and became the editor of an Iditarod Annual, helping to promote the event.  

 The Iditarod Race is not just a great race.  It celebrates Alaska’s heritage.  It recognizes the historical role of sled dogs and the mushing lifestyle.  It honors the resilience and dedication of the mushers and their dogs as they put the life and good of others above themselves.  

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race remains a cherished event in Alaska, preserving a significant part of the state's rich history and highlights the enduring partnership between humans and dogs. 

The race is that it is also steeped in tradition.  At the beginning of the race, the Iditarod Trail Committee lights a “Widow’s Lamp” at 10:00 a.m., on the first Sunday in March, in Nome at the trail’s end. This lamp remains lit as long as there are ushers on the trail competing in the race. When the last musher crosses the finish line, the lamp is  extinguish the lamp signifying the official end of the Iditarod for that year.

But unlike most races where it ends when the first place is recognized, the Iditarod race is not over until the last musher has reached Nome and is off the trail.  The last finisher of the Iditarod race receives the Red Lantern Award, which includes a red lantern trophy, a cash prize, and the honor of extinguishing the "widow's lamp" symbolizes the official end of the race. 

Well friends, there you have it.  A story behind the story from America’s historical signs and markers.  I hope you enjoyed this episode.  I invite you to subscribe and continue listening as we bring more episodes about the rich heritage of our great nation.

 Please share this podcast with others.  If you have interesting stories about historical signs and markers, email me at: americanhistoricalmarkers@gmail.com.  Maybe your story behind the story will be featured.

I’m your host Dave Laton and thank you for listening, and safe travels!