A Literature Based Unit of Study

 

 

Introduction

 

         You will soon begin a wild adventure through the wilderness of Alaska. Traveling by dogsled you will race over tundra, cross two mountain ranges, follow two rivers, and take your team across a frozen stretch of ocean on the shelf ice of the Bering Sea.  From Anchorage to Nome you will travel about 1,150 miles and stop at 26 check points along the trail.  So, you’ll need to be tough and keep a good sense of humor even when you are cold, tired and fed up!

           The Iditarod, also known as the Last Great Race, takes place in Alaska the first weekend of every March.  Iditarod, an old Athabascan Indian word means “Haiditarod” or “the distant place.” Actually, the Iditarod began a long time ago, in 1925.  This race wasn’t for fun; it was to save the lives of the people of Nome.  The village of Nome was threatened with a diphtheria epidemic and needed medicine/serum that could keep people from catching this disease.  It was winter and flying was too dangerous in the pioneer days so, it was decided that the serum should be sent by train from Anchorage to Nenana and then relayed by dog team from there to Nome. 

          The dog mushers, who were mostly native, usually hauled freight and carried mail in their sleds.  To successfully deliver the serum to Nome it took 20 mushers and 19 dog teams, saving lives and creating history.

 

         

 

 

 

 

Created by: Diana Doran and Bobbie Miller

July 14, 2000

Seattle, Washington