There were some brave pilots in Anchorage that wanted to fly in the serum to Nome but no one had ever been successful traveling such a distance under such conditions. In the winter of 1924-1925, a diphtheria epidemic was threatening the town of Nome, located on the southern Seward Peninsula on the northwestern coast of Alaska. The true story behind Togo confirms that as a result of his relatively small size, illness, and bad behavior as a young puppy, Leonhard Seppala decided that Togo was not sled dog material and gave him away to be a house pet when he was six months old. many of these races Liz Ricker raced the second team and often came in right Did Leonhard Seppala and his wife have any children? He said goodbye to Togo and gave the dog to fellow sled dog musher, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. As a puppy, he is a runt with little more than a fighting spirit and the endorsement of Seppala's wife, Constance (Julianne Nicholson). The darkness and a blizzard also made it impossible for Leonhard Seppala to see where he was going. Categories: Notables | Nome City Cemetery, Nome, Nome Census Area, Alaska, WIKITREE HOME | ABOUT | G2G FORUM | HELP | SEARCH. Which one is right for you? included that of Gunnar Kaasen who made the final leg with cull dogs of Seppala's Togo, it must have been harder yet for Seppala's old Sweepstakes leader. Ivanoff had just left Shaktoolik with the serum. The serum was now only 78 miles (126km) from Nome. Dead tissue then builds up in the throat or nose, forming a thick, gray coating dubbed a "pseudomembrane". Memorials 68 added (7% photographed). fast teams; none of the Nome mushers wanted to accept the challenge. These three wins made himself and his Siberian Huskies famous. Its worth mentioning that Togos own lineage wasnt too shabby: His father was Suggen, who had led Seppalas team to victory in the 1914 All Alaska Sweepstakes race. Husband of Constance M Seppala. a warm reception from the Alaskan people. Leonhard " Sepp " Seppala ( / lnrd spl /; September 14, 1877 - January 28, 1967) was a Norwegian-American sled dog breeder, trainer and musher who with his dogs played a pivotal role in the 1925 serum run to Nome, [1] and participated in the 1932 Winter Olympics. Craving an escape from his grief,. The polar night also meant that there were limited hours of daylight to fly. The serum! Bookmark this page and come back often for updates. Diphtheria can attack healthy tissues in the respiratory system. Seppala continued to import, breed, and train Leonhard Seppalas mothers name is unknown at this time and his fathers name is under review. A musher would head out from there to meet Seppala somewhere in the middle. A sustained east wind could also push the ice out to sea, and a team caught on a drifting floe could find itself stranded on open water. feeling that the credit had been stolen from Togo who had deserved to be Inspiration As principal musher, Seppala battled blizzard conditions and icy terrain, eventually traveling more than twice as far as his colleagues. Leonhard did farm work, keeping the family homestead going while (It was widely rumoured that the team had been interfered with or the He once attempted to leap over a 7-foot-high fence and got stuck in the wiring. worked as a ranger for U.S. Mining and Melting Company, first in Nome of his childhood sweetheart Margit, whom he had planned to marry, As we investigated the Togo fact vs. fiction, we discovered that a Siberian Husky named Diesel portrayed the adult Togo. Yes. The bundle containing the serum was knocked out and he dug with his bare hands in the snow to find it. out driving horses and a wagon (which he had never done), filling a slip Book entire boat for your family or group, or opt to bunk with other guests. I responded by reminding him that Leonhard Seppala often ran as many as 24 dogs on snow and ice! However, many of his dogs' paw pads had been shredded and claws broken by the ice-encrusted snow as they clawed their way back to the top of the hill. Togo was the true champion of the Serum Run. Regardless, Seppala could tell that Togo wanted to press on. According to The Cruelest Miles, although Togo was the only puppy in his litter, he was indeed smaller than average, and worse, he had a painful condition that made his throat swell. A relay of 20 sled dog teams then traveled a distance of 674 miles from Nenana to Nome. The real Togo spent a few weeks at his new home before he jumped through the glass of a shut window and ran several miles back to Leonhard's kennel. Brother of Asle Seppl; Sigurd Waldemar Seppl and Felisie Antonethe Marie Seppl. 1947. as a winter recreation; in 1908 the first All-Alaska Sweepstakes race was run. If the Serum Drive finished stricken city. Leonhard Seppala and his sled dog team led by Togo traveled 340 miles roundtrip to pick up the serum and start bringing it back, eventually handing it off to Charlie Olson's team. Immediate Family: Son of Isak Isaksson Seppl and Ane Henrikke Seppl. Leonhard Seppala is considered one of Alaskas first great dog mushers; He took part in the 1925 serum run to Nome. Sign-up for any of the following email series to help plan your Alaska trip. Seppala felt that there was nothing he could do about the newborn, but reluctantly was forced to keep him. during the First World War. The Seppala House was a gift to Urtha Lenharr by Krier Enterprise of Nome, Alaska. After the Serum Run, Seppala and some 40 of his dogs toured the "lower 48" with an Eskimo handler. For more information please contact the Alaska Film Archives. He was best known for being a Dog Musher. The Scandinavian miners, including Sepp's employer, remained in St. Jovite through the winter of 1931-32 and competed with His friend Jafet Lindeberg had returned from Alaska and convinced Seppala to come to work for his mining company in Nome. He is a sled dog trainer and racer who is known for carrying the supply of diphtheria serum to the residents of Nome, Alaska. until he completed his "masterpiece" in December 1898, the project A relay of respected mushers was organized to expedite the delivery, and Seppala (with lead dog Togo) was chosen for the most forbidding part of the trail. Home Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. Lake Placid, NY, in 1932, which was Seppala's last race in the East. When he was a young man his friend Jafet Lindeberg convinced him to come to America due to the gold rush that was going on. Small cracks in the ice could suddenly widen, and driver and team could be plunged into the freezing water. Leonhard Seppala pictured with his 'Siberian Racers' in 1916 (top) and in 1923, with Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. over. Leonhard Seppala is considered one of Alaska's first great mushers, and like all who took part in the 1925 serum run from Seward to Nome, he's a local hero. The prestigious Alaska Airlines Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award is given annually to the Iditarod musher who illustrates outstanding dog care throughout the race. Seppala grumbles that Constance is too softhearted and. second son of the Earl of Dalhousie. Whos the richest Dog Musher in the world. One day, Ashley's wife tried to strike Mumbet's sister with a spade. A few also suffered frostbite. Many of the 150 dogs who took part in the 1925 Serum Run to Nome lost their lives, mainly due to exposure. The problem was, how would the traveling Seppala be told he was not to transport it alone? Leonhard Seppala was a Virgo and was born in the G.I. The real-life Seppala was astounded at the effect of the harness: The 8-month-old Togo went from pesky to serious, and Seppala finally understood what Togo had been wanting all these months: to be a member of the team. In a feat unheard of for an inexperienced puppy, Togo traveled 75 miles on this first day. Togo Your donation in any amount will help us continue important preservation work. Seppala left Togo, with great sadness, with Ricker to retire in comfort in 1927 (Seppala remembered it as one of the saddest moments in his life. Insider tips to pick the best Alaska cruise. She too was at risk of being stricken with diphtheria. Seppala married his wife Constance, a Belgian girl who had come to Nome in 1905. Half of the meeting is logistics: Welch explains that the serum they need for the diphtheria has been found at the Fairbanks Railroad Hospital (more than 500 miles away) and that it could be put on a train to Nenana (still 483 miles away). The serum would be transported to Nenana by train. Sinopse: A histria de um homem (Willem Dafoe) e sua equipe de ces puxadores de tren que transportaram remdios para a populao do Alasca, a fim de combater uma epidemia, durante a dcada de 20. a powerful boost to the early days of sleddog sport in New England. The two 100lb. Seppala tosses Togo ashore, and the dog somehow manages to tow the floe close enough to the coast to enable the rest of the team to follow. Seppala told his father who responded with ridicule for what he perceived was a ridiculous dream. Wheeler, Shearer and the Belfords that were bred from them. Today he is remembered for that feat, but also for the care and concern he showed for his dogs, who were not only co-workers, but were his friends. At the start of Togo, Seppala arrives in town after a run to find that a diphtheria outbreak has already claimed the lives of five children. . It was a demanding and When Amundsen cancelled his trip a few weeks after the puppies arrived in Nome, Lindeberg gave them to Seppala. They encountered each other while Ivanoff was untangling his team on a trail outside of town, at which time Seppala took possession of the serum. Have you taken a DNA test? Focus on Denali & Kenai Fjords. Enter a grandparent's name. They asked him to begin traveling toward Nenana. If not for Togo finding the way and leading the team to the roadhouse at Isaac's Point on the shore, a distance of 84 miles since picking up the serum, they would have faced certain death. Seppala probably would have continued to dominate the Sweepstakes race had it not been put to an abrupt end, with many sled dogs being deported to Europe. Occupation Because Kaasen is the one who actually delivers the serum to Nome, he is the one who receives the lions share of the glory. St. Godard, who bested Seppala to win the Olympic Demonstration dogsled race at Snowy Owl provided all of the adult sled dogs used in the movie. Temperatures across the Interior were at 20-year lows. fishing grounds. Seppala's only childan eight-year-old daughter named Sigridwas also at risk. Despite the differences in the Disney version of the storysuch as the blizzard at the beginningthe fictionalized aspects are not an exaggeration of the dangers involved. Seppala saw the musher stopped on the trail and having trouble with his dogs, but did not intend to stop and be delayed. mongrels were the best way to travel in this frozen tundra. . seventy Siberian dogs bought at the Siberian trading village of Markovo on the Seppala and his dogs also traveled from Alaska to the lower 48 states to do a nationwide tour. Photo of Seppala and his Siberians in Seattle: Jonathan Hayes. Learn more about Leonhard Seppala at the Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum, take a stroll down Front Street, where he won the All Alaska Sweepstakes three times, or reflect on Seppalas contributions as you head into town from the airport on Seppala Drive. His contribution to Alaskas sled dog racing history, and his pioneering work developing the Siberian Husky bloodline are also well known. The strengths of this sign are being loyal, analytical, kind, hardworking, practical, while weaknesses can be shyness, overly critical of self and others, all work and no play. Shortly after arriving in Alaska, Seppalas boss gave him the opportunity to take a dog team out prospecting. also apprenticed in his father's smithy. Balto makes a brief cameo in the movie: Hes the lead dog in Gunnar Kaasens team. This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. claim-jumpers. When he arrived there at 8 pm, his dogs were exhausted; they had run 84 miles (135km) that day, much of it against the wind and in brutal cold. [1], In 1913, Seppala inherited his first team of sled dogs by chance. Leonhard Seppala's experience and fame as a champion dog musher are why he was chosen to drive a sled dog team in the Serum Run. Seppala didn't start out working with dogs, though. Various dogs portrayed Togo as a puppy, including RipTide (Ripley) from Evelyn Ely's pack. The movie leaves out several details about Togos death. Leonhard "Sepp" Seppala (September 14, 1877 January 28, 1967) was a Norwegian sled dog breeder, trainer and musher who played a pivotal role in the 1925 serum run to Nome. IMPORTANT PRIVACY NOTICE & DISCLAIMER: YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO USE CAUTION WHEN DISTRIBUTING PRIVATE INFORMATION. The Straggler, as the disease was commonly called, had come for the children of Nome. under way, Sepp writes: IN 1925 THE CITY OF NOME was threatened by a midwinter diphtheria epidemic. I once told Jeffrey Bragg about about a training run I had with 16 dogs attached to my four-wheeler. In reality, the winds were in a rare state of calm, and Seppala had a crowd to cheer on the beginning of his journey to Nulatohalfway to Nome, but still a six-day journey encompassing a total of 630 miles. Please check back soon for updates. Jeff King. 2-5 day small ship explorations. Most Popular #186407. Leonhard Seppala/Living or Deceased Is Togo Balto's father? Leonhard Seppala is considered one of Alaskas first great mushers, and like all who took part in the 1925 serum run from Seward to Nome, hes a local hero. Flying was relatively new at the time and winter flight was still largely untested. [1], When the serum passed to Seppala, night was falling and a powerful low-pressure system was moving towards the trail from the Gulf of Alaska. the core Poland Spring stock that had gone to Quebec became the property He enjoyed the task from his first run, which he recalled clearly for the rest of his life. rugged life for a child; "Sepp" (as many later called him) grew up In Astrology, Mercury is the planet that rules our mindset. When Lindeberg asked him to train a sled dog team for an expedition Roald Amundsen was planning, he found his calling. All rights reserved. Seppala later married Constance, another foreigner who had come to America. in that drive he had worked his hardest and best. of hair-raising adventures in defense of Pioneer claims against He tries locking him away and later give him away to another owner twice. It was only in the previous February that the first airmail flight in Alaska took place. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, The 9 Best Northern Lights Viewing Spots Near Anchorage, How to Travel to Alaska in January and February, The Best Large Family & Group Vacations in Alaska, How to Get from Anchorage to Your Cruise Port in Whittier or Seward (or the reverse! People of this zodiac sign like animals, healthy food, nature, cleanliness, and dislike rudeness and asking for help. Together with his dog Togo and several other dogs, he was able to brave through snowy weather and tundra to save countless of lives. Born In 1877. In real life, Leonhard Seppala also had a daughter named Sigrid who was one of the children at risk for catching diphtheria. This also meant he worked as long as 12 hours a day. their rights, and Sepp, as a Pioneer employee, was involved in a number One competitor described his communion with dogs as unnatural control or hypnotism.. Unfortunately, there was no gold to be found and instead took up training sled dogs. And while, in the movie, Constance Seppala initially objects to her husbands participation, saying that the town should pick someone with more stake in [the diphtheria outbreak], in reality the Seppalas did have more of a stake than is indicated by the film script: They had an 8-year-old daughter named Sigrid. have gone anywhere without the Poland Spring dogs and the sleddogs of Siberia by a Russian fur trader. Leonhard Seppala lived there and ran his dogs, year-round, for the Pioneer Mining Company out of this coastal town. Welch and Maynard were present at the equivalent meeting, but Seppala was not present nor very much involved in the decision. [7] His father's family name is of Finnish origin. Kaasen, who was in charge of Balto, suffered frostbite to his fingers after strong winds blew his sled over. Knowing the severity of the weather, as well as Togo's age, Seppala had no choice, but to take the mission. Seppala described him as an infant prodigy and a natural-born leader.. His career took off when he won the Sweepstakes the following year, beating experienced musher Scotty Allan by two hours. His telegram is pictured below. 12.5K subscribers This clip features famed Alaska dog musher Leonhard Seppala and his wife Constance Seppala sitting on the porch in front of a house and playing with a litter of puppies.. International Dog Derby in Quebec City, setting a new trail record for the It was 50 F in Fairbanks. After 1932 he remained in Alaska. Overwhelmed by choices? had also settled. Please visit the About section of our YouTube channel to learn how you can help today. People born under this sign are persistent and straightforward. Seppala would cross the sound each way in the race to deliver the serum. Plan your journey with this gorgeous printed map. However, in 1900, he emigrated to Alaska during the Nome gold rush. Father of Private. started the first historic 'Seppala Kennels' in Poland Spring in partnership based in Nome for the first twenty-nine years of his mining career, Nevertheless, Seppala took off to Alaska where he started working under Lindeberg. The Ramsay import dogs, from which three In 1960 the chipper little man flew to Laconia to serve as honorary judge at the World Championships Sled Dog Derby. By Robert Forto, PhD. This seems to be exaggerated a bit for the film. In June 1999, a memorial was . Thank you! Disney Wiki is a FANDOM Movies Community. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. Chinese Zodiac: Leonhard Seppala was born in the Year of the Rabbit. Born in 1877 #36. This clip features famed Alaska dog musher Leonhard Seppala and his wife Constance Seppala sitting on the porch in front of a house and playing with a litter. Responded by reminding him that Leonhard Seppala often ran as many as 24 dogs on snow and ice information contact... Was best known for being a dog musher, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile i. Dogs toured the `` lower 48 '' with an Eskimo handler flying was relatively new at the and. Hours a day there was no gold to be found and instead took up training dogs. The Rabbit musher would head out from there to meet Seppala somewhere in throat... Give him away and later give him away to another owner twice Alaska Airlines Leonhard Seppala also a. But reluctantly was forced to keep him planning, he found his calling from Nome it impossible for Leonhard and. About a training Run i had with 16 dogs attached to my four-wheeler Year of Nome... 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