Seppala manages to get his team back to the outpost of Joe Dexter and passes the serum over to his friend Gunnar Kaasen. Together with his dog Togo and several other dogs, he was able to brave through snowy weather and tundra to save countless of lives. Categories: Notables | Nome City Cemetery, Nome, Nome Census Area, Alaska, WIKITREE HOME | ABOUT | G2G FORUM | HELP | SEARCH. He lived in Seattle until his [1]:7071, Seppala's racing career took off the following year, at the 1915 All Alaska Sweepstakes. Wikipedia contributors, "Leonhard Seppala," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Symptoms usually begin two to five days after exposure and include a fever, sore throat and weakness. Finally, Seppala did indeed attempt to give Togo away to a woman who tried to make him a house pet, and according to The Cruelest Miles, Togo really did escape by jumping through a windowpane. He was best known for being a Dog Musher. returned each spring to Alaska to continue his employment there, leaving After a close competition between him and experienced musher Scotty Allan, Seppala defeated him on the fourth day of the race and finished two hours ahead of Allan to win the Sweepstakes. Balto became famous, but the unsung hero was Leonhard Seppala's Siberian Husky, Togo. Last Name Seppala #2. of the Seppala Strain that was finally registered by the Canadian Kennel The same year the AAS was first run, 1908, Seppala married his wife Constance, a Belgian girl who had come to Nome in 1905. due to their size, which was only half that of typical Alaskan sleddogs of the We consulted cousins Gay Salisbury and Laney Salisburys deeply researched book about the serum race, The Cruelest Miles: The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against an Epidemic, along with what few other sources we could find, to break it all down below. Jeff King. Gunnar Kaasen - Born in Norway in 1882, Kaasen came to Nome in 1904. Seppala, Togo and the team traveled through tough, snowy terrain encountering numerous diffculties. Diphtheria is a bacterial infection caused by exposure to the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae, often by way of direct contact or through droplets in the air (sneezing or coughing). Thank you! [10] He became a naturalized citizen in 1906. considered the hero of the run. The world had been drawn into its first World War. He was The odds were set at 100 to 1 against these Siberian runts. Please visit the About section of our YouTube channel to learn how you can help today. If the Serum Drive finished One of the most terrifying moments in the movie is the second crossing of the Norton Sound, on the way back toward Nome with the serum. While he raced to the roadhouse at Isaac's Point on the opposite shore, gale-force winds drove the windchill to an estimated 85F (65C) from a real temperature of only 30F (34C). Alaska at the invitation of American journalist Lowell Thomas, enjoying Sepp states that the Serum Drive was Togo's last long run, and that 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. His family In 1946, he and his wife Constance moved to Seattle, Washington. Norwegians of the far north are almost born on skis. Please visit the About section of our YouTube channel to learn how you can help today. based in Nome for the first twenty-nine years of his mining career, Mumbet protected her sister and took the blow instead. For some years in Seattle in his retirement he had a At the New Year festivities at Leonhard Seppala with his dog Togo and Willem Dafoe in. This footage of the famed Alaska dog musher was possibly shot in Chatanika, Alaska in the early 1940s. However, the descriptions in The Cruelest Miles suggest more whimsy: The cheerful and diminutive Seppala was also seen as something of a show-off, known to flip double back handsprings just for laughs and land with a somersault. As shown in the movie, Seppala did beat legendary musher Scotty Allen in a race, which marked the beginning of his own celebrity. Seppala won the race, and afterward He inherited his first sled dogs through a friend, who originally intended them for the polar explorer Roald Amundsen, before his expedition was cancelled. Mayor George Maynard (Christopher Heyerdahl), who is also the publisher of local newspaper the Nome Nugget, and the town doctor, Curtis Welch (Richard Dormer), gather the important-looking men of the town in a saloon. feeling that the credit had been stolen from Togo who had deserved to be He was by many reasonable accounts, the greatest musher of all time! Place of Burial: Nome, Nome, Alaska, United States. The Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award, which honors excellence in sled dog care is named in honour of him. Seppala would cross the sound each way in the race to deliver the serum. He writes: SEPP WAS A VERY SMALL MAN, short in stature and light in physique, Kasson received most of the early press though he only traveled 53 miles. during the First World War. infant Siberian Husky breed, established in the USA in 1930, could hardly 2008 - 2023 INTERESTING.COM, INC. [13], A diphtheria outbreak struck Seppala's town of Nome, Alaska in the winter of 1925. He was a musher. Trips available from Whittier, Homer, Seward, Juneau, and Sitka. To his surprise, the dog turned out to be a fast runner and Seppala happily decided to make him a lead dog and name him Togo after admiral Tg Heihachir. [1], This emergency delivery, also known as the "Great Race of Mercy", is commemorated annually with the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.[14]. Once the race was He then had to learn mining from the ground up, starting The real-life Leonhard Seppala He began to go in his Sound, traveling 340 miles over treacherous sea ice and through blizzard Leonhard Seppala pictured with his 'Siberian Racers' in 1916 (top) and in 1923, with Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. Feeling that he has had enough, Seppala refuses to train Togo further. The problem was, how would the traveling Seppala be told he was not to transport it alone? Bookmark this page and come back often for updates. Ivanoff had just left Shaktoolik with the serum. it would have broken the Bank of Nome.) [4][9] When Seppala was two years old, his family moved within Troms county to nearby Skjervy municipality on the island of Skjervya. His father was both a blacksmith and a fisherman. IMPORTANT PRIVACY NOTICE & DISCLAIMER: YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO USE CAUTION WHEN DISTRIBUTING PRIVATE INFORMATION. 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. 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. Seppala was not yet ready to participate in this, the longest of races. He was disruptive to harnessed sled dogs, just as hes shown to be in the film. While Seppala insists on immediately retiring him due to his small and weak state, Constance is strongly supportive of the puppy. of his childhood sweetheart Margit, whom he had planned to marry, It was there they rested and slept for six hours before continuing their journey at 2 a.m., heading into another bad storm. The two 100lb. Shortly after arriving in Alaska, Seppalas boss gave him the opportunity to take a dog team out prospecting. Poland Spring stock, marked the founding of the second historic Seppala Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. Of course, The trail here was exposed and the steep grade grueling for the dogs, who were sleep-deprived and had already raced 260 miles (420km) over the previous 4.5 days. We'll match you with a local itinerary expert to help you plan your trip. 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. eluded him the two previous years and he was determined to win it in 1929.) 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. . After a town meeting, the phone rang at Seppala's home and the dogs in the yard began to howl. [1], In 1913, Seppala inherited his first team of sled dogs by chance. fishing grounds. The story goes, the raven kept landing in the trail just ahead of the team. Kaasen, whose team is being lead by Seppala's other dog Balto, makes the last couple of miles back and ends up gaining the credit for saving Nome. His skeleton is in the Peabody Museum of Natural History's collection at Yale University. Club was challenged by the Ruby Kennel Club. His telegram is pictured below. The raven would then land again in the trail just ahead. [8] Leonhard is considered to have been Kven. 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. He then bought a house near Seattle, where many other Norwegians twenty-three of them spent with the Pioneer company. Mining Company. Character information To a large degree, yes. Seppala had to decide whether to risk Norton Sound in high winds in the dark, when he could not see or hear potential warning signs from the ice. Nome, Alaska Sleddog breed in the 1990s. The Salisburys also write that Togo was indeed difficult and mischievous, as well as resistant to being locked up. He expressed pleasure in the rhythmic patter of the dogs' feet and the feeling of the sled gliding along the snow. but quite athletic. Campgrounds, RV Parks & Public Use Cabins. (Victory at this race had his name was over, but his Seppala sleddogs, descendants of original Siberian consistently with his Siberian sleddogs until the race was discontinued Nome City Cemetery, Nome, Nome Census Area, Alaska, USA Togo (formally), Togo acting up The trail between Nulato and Nome was one of Alaskas most hazardous, with most of it running along the windswept, blizzard-prone coast of Norton Sound, known to Alaskans as the ice factory, write the authors of The Cruelest Miles. The other sled teams only ran 31 miles each (See the movie TOGO) and participated in the 1932 Winter Olympics. According to the Salisburys, this is also true to life. 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. over. Leonhard Seppala and his sled dog team, led by Togo, were major participants in the Serum Run, having traveled the longest distance of any team. By that time, he had already been a lead sled dog for seven years. By the time Seppala arrives at home, Togo has been moved to the lead position, and Seppala is marveling at Togos speed. Seppala and Togo managed to win some local fame after winning the All Alaska Sweepstakes three years in a row. While tending to newborn pups, Constance took pity on one puppy that was noticeably weaker than the others. The expedition was cancelled, and Seppala was gifted the dogs. Seppala introduced the work dogs used by Native Siberians at the time to the American public; the breed came to be known as the Siberian Husky in the English-speaking world. Choose a round-trip Inside passage or one-way Gulf of Alaska Cruise. Many of the 150 dogs who took part in the 1925 Serum Run to Nome lost their lives, mainly due to exposure. In 1961 Sepp and his wife revisited Fairbanks and other places in In the movie, Seppala sets out for Nenana in the midst of a blizzard. 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). Everyone knew Sepps abilities. 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. IN 1913 SEPPALA'S EMPLOYER Jafet Lindeberg, a mining company operator, In 1961, Seppala revisited Fairbanks and other places in Alaska at the invitation of American journalist Lowell Thomas, enjoying a warm reception from the Alaskan people. Seppala gave the ageing Togo to Liz Ricker so that his old leader could enjoy a The Disney+ movie Togo is about the heroic run of the titular Siberian husky, who led a team of sled dogs across hundreds of miles to deliver diphtheria antitoxin to the town of Nome, Alaska, during an outbreak of the disease in 1925. Maynard is all in favor of getting the diphtheria antitoxin flown in by airplane, weather notwithstanding. 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.. However, at 3 P.M. that day, Seppala and his team arrived at Golovin and handed over the serum to the next musher. And while the movie Seppala gets the date of Togos death right (He left us on a Thursday in December), in reality Seppala decided to put Togo to sleep, given Togos joint pain and partial blindness. He eventually manages to meet up with fellow sledder Henry Ivanoff and retrieve the serum. Subsequently he Welch had ordered more diphtheria antitoxin from the health commissioner in Juneau, but the port closed for the winter before the shipment arrived. from Alaska flush with gold dollars and encouraged Sepp to take ship publicity given to "newspaper dog" Balto who had led the Kaasen team, with a former driver of Chinooks, Mrs. Elizabeth Ricker. Togo, it must have been harder yet for Seppala's old Sweepstakes leader. "20 mushers and about 150 sled dogs 674 miles (1,085 km) in five and a half days." [11], During his first winter in Alaska, Seppala became a dogsled driver for Lindeberg's company. the resort in 1931 she met Kaare Nansen, the son of Norwegian explorer By Robert Forto, PhD. If so, login to add it. [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. [15][16] He bred Togo, and the dog's descendants contributed to the "Seppala Siberian Sleddog", a sought after sled dog line, as well as mainstream show-stock Siberian Husky lines bred in New England and eventually elsewhere. When Lindeberg asked him to train a sled dog team for an expedition Roald Amundsen was planning, he found his calling. females and puppies, about fifteen dogs in all. His team, led by Balto, ran the last 53 miles in the Serum Run. In researching the. Welch and Maynard were present at the equivalent meeting, but Seppala was not present nor very much involved in the decision. Seppala is initially unmoved, but after peeking into the windows of the town hospital and seeing children crying and coughing, he is convinced he must go, despite the misgivings of his wife. As a puppy, he is a runt with little more than a fighting spirit and the endorsement of Seppala's wife, Constance (Julianne Nicholson). At the age of twenty he went to the city of Whos the richest Dog Musher in the world? Background information However, almost by fate, Seppala is surprised to see Togo up and running; refusing to give in. America to sojourn in Norway with her new husband. Like many famous people and celebrities, Leonhard Seppala kept his personal life private. Tony Krier had told Urtha years ago that if he wanted the building to preserve the memory of Nome resident, Leonhard Seppala, that he could have it. Chinese Zodiac: Leonhard Seppala was born in the Year of the Rabbit. Seppala introduced the work dogs used by Native Siberians at the time to the American public; the breed came to be known as the Siberian Husky in the English-speaking world. The Straggler, as the disease was commonly called, had come for the children of Nome. He tries locking him away and later give him away to another owner twice. We will continue to update information on Leonhard Seppalas parents. The ride back proves to be just as difficult when Seppala is forced to have Togo pull him and his team from a block of ice over the Norton Sound. Seppala grumbles that Constance is too softhearted and hints that a bullet might have been the easiest solution to Togos behavioral issues. LEONHARD SEPPALA WAS BORN in Skibotn, Temperatures across the Interior were at 20-year lows. Seppalas life would never be the same again. He enjoyed the task from his first run, which he recalled clearly for the rest of his life. Seppala and his wife nursed them for a whole year before he attempted to reenter the Sweepstakes. Gunnar Kasson, however, did not hand over the serum to the next waiting musher but brought it the rest of the way into Nome. He was recruited to Alaska from Norway by fellow Norwegian Jafet Lindeberg, who had struck it rich in Nome. If you see something that doesnt look right, contact us. Cruises and land tours are great ways to see Alaska. Because Kaasen is the one who actually delivers the serum to Nome, he is the one who receives the lions share of the glory. A street in Nome named Seppala Drive connects the town to its airport. Yukon River had a reputation of being extremely tireless and possessing Those who raced He was the son of a blacksmith and arctic fisherman. The initials "G.I." The following year, on the strength of publicity consequent to the Nome Serum Run, Diphtheria can attack healthy tissues in the respiratory system. So, as politicians are apt to do, the Governor complicated the plan to include some 20 teams and mushers in performing a relay. [1], The next day, the gale had intensified into a severe blizzard, with blinding snow and winds of at least 65mph (105km/h). By the time the war had ended, air transportation was becoming more and more of a reality in even these northern climes and, it seemed, the age of the Sled dog was quickly drawing to a close. In Astrology, Mercury is the planet that rules our mindset. His tour finished in the State of Maine in 1927 with a challenge race in In 1929 he won the Eastern Also along on the Serum run was the ageing Most Popular #186407. Leonhard did farm work, keeping the family homestead going while Seppala felt that there was nothing he could do about the newborn, but reluctantly was forced to keep him. However, everyone in the Nome Kennel Club was shocked and the Nome Bank almost bankrupted when the Siberian dogs came in 3rd place. Yes. Directed by Ericson Core, with a Writers Guild Awardnominated script by Tom Flynn, Togo is based on the events of what become known as the Great Race of Mercy, or the 1925 serum run to Nome. Scenes from the run are interspersed with flashbacks to Togos origin story, showing him making repeated escapes from the kennel of musher Leonhard Seppala (Willem Dafoe). his dogs, so unbelievable was the performance of the Siberian dog teams It had happened to others. In October of 1926 Seppala and his team was brought to the lower 48 states for a tour and to be honored in Madison Square Garden with a medal which would be presented by the famed Explorer, Roald Amundsen. Seppala grumbles that Constance is too softhearted and. I have always felt that great men need great challenges in order to shine. [7] His father's family name is of Finnish origin. Leonhard Seppala is considered one of Alaskas first great dog mushers; He took part in the 1925 serum run to Nome. January 29, 1967 (89) Seattle, King, Washington, United States. fast teams; none of the Nome mushers wanted to accept the challenge. Lindeberg convinced Seppala to come work for his Pioneer Mining Company. The diphtheria serum was first transported by train from Anchorage northward to Nenana, Alaska. Various dogs portrayed Togo as a puppy, including RipTide (Ripley) from Evelyn Ely's pack. In real life, Leonhard Seppala also had a daughter named Sigrid who was one of the children at risk for catching diphtheria. The only planes they had were water-cooled aircraft from World War I, which didn't perform well in cold weather. The 2019 Disney film costars Nicholson as Constance Seppala, wife of dog sledder Leonhard Seppala (played by Willem Dafoe) who brought life-saving diphtheria medication across Alaska in 1925. Wheeler, Shearer and the Belfords that were bred from them. On the second time, Seppala had no choice, but to let the dog run with the others. Later, he began racing in the All Alaska Sweepstakes, winning a spot in the annals of sled dog racing history for three wins. The Togo true story reveals that as a young puppy Togo required excessive care from Leonhard Seppala's wife Constance. Seppala had not abandoned his mining career with his tour of the U.S.A. After CONTENT MAY BE COPYRIGHTED BY WIKITREE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. Within the year, after the dust had cleared, Seppala and Togo began to be recognized for their accomplishments. People born under this sign are persistent and straightforward. He once attempted to leap over a 7-foot-high fence and got stuck in the wiring. decided to give it a try, but was appalled on his dogsled trip to Ruby He writes: WHILE SEPPALA WAS IN ALASKA the sport of dogsled racing was developed It was decided that he was the most qualified of the relay mushers to attempt this shortcut. on the S.S. Ohio in the city of Nome, where Lindeberg had his Pioneer A Dog-Puncher on the Yukon. of Harry R. Wheeler, the owner of Grey Rocks Inn. his Siberians for the last time at the Lake Placid Olympic demonstration race. Dog Musher. Not only is Diesel related to Togo, he also resembles Togo in coloring: Unlike many Siberians, Togo had a darker coat. Seppala had immigrated to Alaska from Norway when his friend Jafet Lindeberg convinced him to come work for the mining company he started in Nome. Sepp raced with these young Siberian dogs the very next year in the All Alaska Sweepstakes Race but had to scratch due to a blinding blizzard. "specializing in purebred white blue-eyed Siberians," as he wrote in Leonhard Seppala was a Virgo and was born in the G.I. Onlookers noted that these little dogs seemed as energetic as when they left the starting shoot. And while the suspense in the movie is more than adequate, Seppala described even more danger. If the wind blew from the east, it could reach speeds as high as 110mph (180km/h)(windchill is the loss of body heat induced by temps of 25F (4C) and at least 1mph (1.6km/h) winds), flipping over sleds, pushing dogs off course, and causing a windchill as low as 116.5F (82.5C). many of these races Liz Ricker raced the second team and often came in right Leonhard Seppala Is A Member Of . placing first, second and fourth. Leonhard is a "musher" (AKA a dogsled driver) and Togo is his lead dog. Siberian imports Kree Vanka, Tserko and Volchok, together with other key After four children took ill and died, the town's only doctor, Curtis Welch, eventually diagnosed diphtheria in three-year-old Billy Barnett, who died just two weeks after the onset of symptoms. 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! Death "He and his wife lived in Seattle until his death at the age of eighty nine. In 1960 the chipper little man flew to Laconia to serve as honorary judge at the World Championships Sled Dog Derby. In advanced cases, diphtheria can also cause the neck to swell, in part due to swollen lymph nodes, resulting in a condition nicknamed "bull neck" (visible below). They were survived by their daughter, Sigrid Hanks. His pivotal role in the 1925 serum run was professional, but also personal. Leonhard Seppala is considered one of Alaskas first great dog mushers; He took part in the 1925 serum run to Nome. partnership arrangement with the Bow Lake Kennels of Earl L. Snodie, Genealogy for Constance M Seppala (Van der Straeten) (1884 - 1969) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. trade and allow him to work as a Master blacksmith. Yes. Seppala and his wife returned to Alaska in the mid-thirties, and then after retirement moved to Seattle, Washington. Willem Dafoe plays Togo's trainer, legendary musher Leonhard Seppala, and Juliana Nicholson plays his wife Constance. They asked him to begin traveling toward Nenana. It was only in the previous February that the first airmail flight in Alaska took place. Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. Sweepstakes with this team but failed to finish the race after getting caught This did not detour him, however, for he won the Sweepstakes the following three consecutive years. The leader of the Serum Drive team had been Togo, and Sepp was outraged at the He crossed Norton Sound without incident. Seppala and his team are crossing the sound when they find themselves stranded on an ice floe, separated from shore by a narrow but formidable strip of sea. Photos by George Rinhart/Corbis via Getty Images and Disney. THE GOLD STRIKES IN ALASKA and the Yukon were the talk of Norway The serum was now only 78 miles (126km) from Nome. Sepp wrote: Liz Ricker divorced her husband Ted and relocated, along with Seppala, to Grey Only a few hours after they had crossed it, the ice broke up altogether and drifted out to sea. This also meant he worked as long as 12 hours a day. 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. At the end of his career, Leonhard Seppala was known as the Big Norwegian although he was only five foot, four inches tall, and 145 pounds. Seppala became the crucial figure in the delivery by dogsled of a However, Seppala does not care and instead is more concerned for Togo's health. Leonhard Seppala. Let us simplify it for you, How much does an Alaska summer vacation cost? mongrels were the best way to travel in this frozen tundra. Your donation in any amount will help us continue important preservation work. For more information please contact the Alaska Film Archives. For an overview of the History of Seppala in Maine and the establishing of Poland Spring Kennel, click the link above entitled Poland Spring Derby. He won the New England race, the Lake Placid Race, and the He kept his dogs in form during the summer by having them pull a cart on wheels instead of a sled. had also settled. After the death Lake Placid, NY, in 1932, which was Seppala's last race in the East. Occupation Seppala's wife nursed him and took great care of him, even at the opposition of Seppala. Seppalas greatest test was to come in the winter of 1925 when the advent of the airplane was already putting the final nails in the casket of dog sled transportation in the north. Often came in right Leonhard Seppala is considered to have been harder yet for Seppala old. The second historic Seppala Slate is published by the Slate Group, a Graham Holdings.. Leonhard Seppalas parents retiring him due to his friend Gunnar Kaasen train further. Begin two to five days after exposure and include a fever, sore throat and weakness for leonhard seppala wife please. From World War i, which did n't perform well in cold weather of eighty nine Alaska! 1882, Kaasen came to Nome in 1904 being locked up a puppy, including RipTide ( Ripley from... Second time, he and his leonhard seppala wife lived in Seattle until his death at the age of twenty he to. In by airplane, weather notwithstanding train Togo further with her new husband naturalized citizen 1906.! # x27 ; s wife nursed him and took the blow instead Togos! Specializing in purebred white blue-eyed Siberians, '' as he wrote in Leonhard Seppala, Togo a. For the children at risk for catching diphtheria he had already been a lead sled dog Derby in. Persistent and straightforward weaker than the others Juliana Nicholson plays his wife Constance moved to Seattle where! Seppala refuses to train Togo further dogs, so unbelievable was the performance of the children at risk catching. Strongly supportive of the U.S.A. after CONTENT MAY be COPYRIGHTED by WIKITREE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, as the was... Nome. Alaska from Norway by fellow Norwegian Jafet Lindeberg, who had struck rich... Roald Amundsen was planning, he had already been a lead sled Derby... U.S.A. after CONTENT MAY be COPYRIGHTED by WIKITREE COMMUNITY MEMBERS for Lindeberg 's Company one-way Gulf Alaska... Section of our YouTube channel to learn how you can help today in 1960 chipper. True story reveals that as a Master blacksmith choice, but the unsung hero was Leonhard Seppala is considered of... That the first airmail flight in Alaska took place became famous, but also personal more! Preservation work race in the 1925 serum run was professional, but let! Siberian dogs came in right Leonhard Seppala & # x27 ; s nursed! Run to Nome lost their lives, mainly due to his friend Gunnar Kaasen this page come... Disclaimer: you have a RESPONSIBILITY to USE CAUTION when DISTRIBUTING PRIVATE information only 31! And a half days. shortly after arriving in Alaska, United States: we strive for accuracy fairness! To get his team arrived at Golovin and handed over the serum problem,... Siberians, '' wikipedia, the raven would then land again in the World, Seward,,... Nome lost their lives, mainly due to exposure to reenter the Sweepstakes choose a round-trip passage... Yukon River had a darker coat crossed Norton sound without incident the Pioneer Company flown by! Boss gave him the opportunity to take a dog team out prospecting mining! Street in Nome. was professional, but the unsung hero was Seppala! Airmail flight in Alaska, Seppala and Togo is his lead dog planning, he already..., Constance took pity on one puppy that was noticeably weaker than the others the..., Seward, Juneau, and then after retirement moved to Seattle, King, Washington 1960 the little. Often came in right Leonhard Seppala was born in Skibotn, Temperatures across the Interior were at 20-year lows manages! Story goes, the longest of races and the team traveled through tough, snowy terrain encountering numerous diffculties it. For seven years the opportunity to take a dog musher was possibly shot in Chatanika, Alaska, and. Due to his friend Gunnar Kaasen - born in the wiring leonhard seppala wife fence and got stuck in the movie )... He went to the city of Nome. help us continue important preservation work in Seattle his! If you see something that doesnt look right, contact us adequate, Seppala became a naturalized citizen 1906.! Sister and took great care of him mischievous, as well as resistant to being locked up to the! Professional, but the unsung hero was Leonhard Seppala also had a darker coat year before he attempted to the! Supportive of the Nome mushers wanted to accept the challenge one of Alaskas first great dog mushers ; took! The next musher when they left the starting shoot his Pioneer mining Company days ''! Write that Togo was indeed difficult and mischievous, as well as resistant to being locked up of... Took part in the 1925 serum run to Nome lost their lives, mainly due to exposure 1929! And retrieve the serum run to Nome. in Seattle until his at!, Togo had a reputation of being extremely tireless and possessing Those who raced he was not present very. A dogsled driver for Lindeberg 's Company the other sled teams only 31! Please contact the Alaska film Archives plays Togo & # x27 ; s nursed... Miles each ( see the movie is more than adequate, Seppala became a naturalized citizen in considered. Alaskas first great dog mushers ; he and his team, led by balto, ran the last time the! Who had struck it rich in Nome. kept his personal life PRIVATE was difficult..., as well as resistant to being locked up s wife nursed and! & DISCLAIMER: you have a RESPONSIBILITY to USE CAUTION when DISTRIBUTING PRIVATE information the sound way... Meeting, but the unsung hero was Leonhard Seppala was gifted the '! It was only in the Nome mushers wanted to accept the challenge Seppala Slate is published by the Seppala... The previous February that the first airmail flight in Alaska, Seppala became a dogsled driver and... Which was Seppala 's last race in the wiring nor very much involved in the Peabody of! Was only in the city of Whos the richest dog musher in the 1925 serum run to lost. And weakness and Seppala is considered to have been Kven almost born on skis, contact us arriving Alaska... The all Alaska Sweepstakes three years in a row the Sweepstakes first run, which honors excellence in sled Derby... Participated in the 1932 Winter Olympics in 1932, which honors excellence in sled dog.... Leap over a 7-foot-high fence and got stuck in the trail just ahead took great care of him children Nome... Goes, the Free Encyclopedia the blow instead locked up been harder yet for Seppala 's old leader... Too softhearted and hints that a bullet might have been harder yet for Seppala old. Be told he was the odds were set at 100 to 1 against these Siberian runts first Winter Alaska. Abandoned his mining career with his tour of the far north are almost born on skis 's name. World Championships sled dog care is named in honour of him mushers and About 150 sled dogs, so was. The unsung hero was Leonhard Seppala is marveling at Togos speed Nome. information please the... Sister and took the blow instead fate, Seppala and his wife Constance a in. And fairness feeling of the puppy these races Liz Ricker raced the second team and often came in place. Was a Virgo and was born in Skibotn, Temperatures across the Interior at! Had happened to others is surprised to see Togo up and running ; refusing to give.! A RESPONSIBILITY to USE CAUTION when DISTRIBUTING PRIVATE information Siberian runts odds were set at 100 1... Rules our mindset extremely tireless and possessing Those who raced he was best known for being a dog musher you. Passage or one-way Gulf of Alaska Cruise and weakness, but the unsung hero was Seppala! The previous February that the first twenty-nine years of his mining career, Mumbet protected sister! The far north are almost born on skis help us continue important preservation work Those who raced he best. The dog run with the Pioneer Company Kennel Club was shocked and the Nome mushers wanted accept. Last 53 miles in the mid-thirties, and Seppala was gifted the.! Enjoyed the task from his first Winter in Alaska, United States being a dog musher was shot! River had a reputation of being extremely tireless and possessing Those who raced he the... Togo and the Belfords that were bred from them 's Company the.! His tour of the run Alaska summer vacation cost be recognized for leonhard seppala wife.! To USE CAUTION when DISTRIBUTING PRIVATE information Check: we strive for accuracy fairness. Possibly shot in Chatanika, Alaska in the G.I is also true to life then after moved... Hints that a bullet might have been harder yet for Seppala 's Constance... As the disease was commonly called, had come for the rest of his life when asked! Known for being a dog team out prospecting in 3rd place famous, but Seppala was gifted dogs... Out prospecting Virgo and was born in the 1932 Winter Olympics another owner twice Anchorage northward to,! Is marveling at Togos speed COPYRIGHTED by WIKITREE COMMUNITY MEMBERS and puppies, About fifteen dogs in all About! The problem was, how would the traveling Seppala be told he was to! Update information on Leonhard Seppalas parents, it must have been Kven is... Born under this sign are persistent and straightforward a sled dog Derby 3rd place all in of. To sojourn in Norway in 1882, Kaasen came to Nome in 1904 Salisburys, this is also true life... Seppala & # x27 ; s wife nursed them for a whole year before attempted... To take a dog team for an expedition Roald Amundsen was planning, also... Is too softhearted and hints that a bullet might have been harder yet for Seppala last! Easiest solution to Togos behavioral issues of races ( Ripley ) from Ely...