Balto

In late January, 1925, during a raging blizzard, the small town of Nome, Alaska, experienced an outbreak of diphtheria. A package of serum was located and brought as far as train allowed—674 miles from Nome. The open-cockpit biplane that was available wasn’t suitable for the weather conditions. So, volunteers set up a relay of dogsled teams to transport the serum across the state. Twenty mushers and over 200 dogs managed to make the trip in only five and a half days. One notable contributor to this effort was Balto, the heroic sled dog.

Born in 1919, Balto led musher Gunnar Kassen’s team of 13 dogs in the Serum Run. Two major incidents occurred during their leg of the trip, but at 5:30 a.m. on February 2, 1925, Kaasen and his team delivered the serum to Nome’s hospital—saving the ailing children.

In February 1927, George Kimble, a Cleveland businessman, discovered Balto’s team on display at a Los Angeles “dime” museum; all the dogs were ill and mistreated. Kimble struck a deal with the sideshow owner: two weeks to raise $1,500 to purchase all seven dogs. The race was on.

After a nationwide appeal, the city raised over $2,000. On March 19, 1927, after receiving a hero’s welcome parade through Public Square, the dogs settled down to enjoy retirement at the Brookside Zoo. After Balto passed, his body was preserved and placed on display at the Museum.

The Serum Run, also known as “The Great Race of Mercy,” captured the imagination of the country. The legacy of this event lives on in the hearts of the mushers and dogs who participate in today’s Iditarod, fittingly called “The Last Great Race.”