During the harsh winter of 1925, the gold mining town of Nome, Alaska, was isolated from the rest of the world. The frozen sea and fierce blizzards made travel nearly impossible. A deadly diphtheria outbreak spread through the town, especially affecting children. Thanks to radio, the nation closely followed as 20 mushers, and more than 150 dogs relayed the serum to Nome as temperatures dropped as low as 60 degrees below zero.
Now, 100 years later, many people are honoring the brave sled dogs and mushers who risked their lives to save the town to deliver the medicine. Among the weeklong events celebrating the centennial were lectures, a dog-food drive and a reenactment of the final leg of the relay, all organized by the Nome Kennel Club President Jessica Lemaire. Jessica and 2 others, including KNOM’s News Director, Ben Townsend, took part in a 20-mile reenactment, traveling to Safety and back to Nome. Nome gathered to welcome the mushers back with hugs and homemade frybread, lasagna, musk ox soup, and dozens of dog bone cookies (for humans). Among the crowd were two visitors, descendants of Leonhard Seppala (a 1925 musher with his dog Togo), who had come to honor their ancestor.
