Iñupiaq men in qayaqs, Noatak, Alaska, circa 1929. Edward S. Curtis Collection, Library of Congress Digital Collections.
Crossing the Chilkoot Pass, circa 1898. Courtesy Candy Waugaman and Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.
The Gold Rush boomtown of Nome on the Seward Peninsula, 1900. Courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey Photographic Library.
EXTRA! EXTRA! In 1925, a life-saving relay involving 20 mushers and more than 150 sled dogs carried diphtheria antitoxin 674 miles from Nenana to Nome, battling harsh weather conditions to stop a deadly epidemic in isolated Nome. Gunnar Kaasen’s team, with Balto in lead, delivered the serum to Dr. Curtis Welch at 5:30am on February 2, 1925, to conclude the Serum Run or Great Race of Mercury. Celebrate the 100th anniversary of these amazing historic events!
MUSEUM TALKS
Presented at Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum & via Zoom. Questions? Call Cheryl 907-443-6630
Diphtheria and the Serum Run: The Medical Side of the Story January 26, 3pm
Physician assistant Dawn Sawyer shares history of diphtheria and treatments before 1925. Diphtheria causes a sometimes deadly throat infection. It had killed thousands of children in the early 1900s, thus Nome’s response in 1925 was both rational and necessary. (Zoom link: www.tinyurl.com/MuseumTalks)
The Original Race to Nome January 27, 7pm
Join National Park Service Ranger Tori Crawford as she explores the timeline of the 1925 race to Nome, highlighting key figures and decisions that saved the town from catastrophe. (Zoom link: www.tinyurl.com/MuseumTalks)
The Serum Run: The Players January 28, 7pm
Dawyn Sawyer reviews mushers involved in the 1925 relay of serum to diphtheria-threatened Nome. Controversies about the players make for a fascinating and interesting conversation. (Zoom link: www.tinyurl.com/MuseumTalks)
Historical Context for the Serum Run
Each of these three presenters will be about 20 minutes long and part of the same evening—January 29, 7pm (Zoom link: www.tinyurl.com/MuseumTalks)
The 2020 Serum Run Trail Expedition & the Iditarod National Historic Trail February 1, 3pm
Learn about the 2020 Serum Run Trail Expedition through photos and stories shared by participants Stephanie Johnson and Kirsten Bey. (Zoom link: www.tinyurl.com/MuseumTalks; A 25-minute film about the Iditarod National Historic Trail will follow at the museum, not available via Zoom).