of hair-raising adventures in defense of Pioneer claims against This also meant he worked as long as 12 hours a day. Immediate Family: Son of Isak Isaksson Seppl and Ane Henrikke Seppl. Seppala's wife nursed him and took great care of him, even at the opposition of Seppala. Flying was relatively new at the time and winter flight was still largely untested. He won the New England race, the Lake Placid Race, and the Sign-up for any of the following email series to help plan your Alaska trip. 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. He kept his dogs in form during the summer by having them pull a cart on wheels instead of a sled. The Seppala House was a gift to Urtha Lenharr by Krier Enterprise of Nome, Alaska. Seppala didnt start out working with dogs, though. 2020 by Poland Spring Seppala Kennels. His telegram is pictured below. The movie leaves out several details about Togos death. In 1928, Seppala moved his permanent home to near Fairbanks, Alaska. Feature films Seppala soon worried for his canine friend upon learning that he was starting to suffer from his old age. The following year, on the strength of publicity consequent to the Nome Serum Run, Once more details are available, we will update this section. 2008 - 2023 INTERESTING.COM, INC. in that drive he had worked his hardest and best. Categories: Notables | Nome City Cemetery, Nome, Nome Census Area, Alaska, WIKITREE HOME | ABOUT | G2G FORUM | HELP | SEARCH. Welch had ordered more diphtheria antitoxin from the health commissioner in Juneau, but the port closed for the winter before the shipment arrived. Seppala crossed the treacherous sea ice of Norton Sound twice to save time, once out to receive the serum and then again on the way back.. He had forced all of his dogs to push through stormy weather and many of them wound up injured. Although he found the heavy labour of Nome mining gruelling 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. In June 1999, a memorial was . Togo Did Leonhard Seppala and his wife have any children? Leonhard Seppala Was born 14 Sep 1877 in Skibotn, Troms, Norway. second son of the Earl of Dalhousie. [1]:64[2][3][4], Seppala was born in the Lyngen, Troms og Finnmark, Northern Norway. The debate was taken to the floor of the United States Senate in Washington D.C. Should we give the modern age a chance and risk losing the only serum in the area, or do we send it the slower, but, most reliable way with the dog punchers?. Leonhard Seppala Fans Also Viewed . have gone anywhere without the Poland Spring dogs and the sleddogs of The victory is depicted as a flashback in the movie. Who are the richest people in the world? Siberian imports Kree Vanka, Tserko and Volchok, together with other key 1927 through 1930. Birth Name: Leonhard Seppala Occupation: Dog Musher Place Of Birth: Norway Date Of Birth: September 14, 1877 Date Of Death: January 28, 1967 Cause Of Death: N/A Ethnicity: Unknown Nationality: Norwegian Leonhard Seppala was born on the 14th of September, 1877. The diphtheria serum was first transported by train from Anchorage northward to Nenana, Alaska. Inspiration Zodiac Sign: Leonhard Seppala was a Virgo. racing teams were fielded, dominated the 1910 third All-Alaska Sweepstakes, his father was away on the fishing grounds. Each year until 1897 he went to the Finnmark Seppala continued the trail across Norton Sound. As for Leonhard Seppala, famous as a dog sledder (), I think I knew him well because I was taken for a ride with his white dog team one Sunday. Seppala and Swedish Lapland Leonhard Seppala, born 1877, would during those days go from being a good musher and just another hard-working blue-collar man to being the most famous dog-team driver in the world. the core Poland Spring stock that had gone to Quebec became the property I have always felt that great men need great challenges in order to shine. In 1925, more than 20 men and their dogs helped rush an emergency package of medicine nearly 675 miles to Nome, Alaska, which faced a deadly outbreak of diphtheria. LEONHARD SEPPALA WAS BORN in Skibotn, This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. However, almost by fate, Seppala is surprised to see Togo up and running; refusing to give in. The only treatment available in 1925 was diphtheria antitoxin serum. A diphtheria epidemic had broken out in Nome, Alaska. Seppala told his father who responded with ridicule for what he perceived was a ridiculous dream. 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. However, Seppala does not care and instead is more concerned for Togo's health. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. (Color/Silent/16mm film). Together with his dog Togo and several other dogs, he was able to brave through snowy weather and tundra to save countless of lives. [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. [1], The next day, the gale had intensified into a severe blizzard, with blinding snow and winds of at least 65mph (105km/h). THE GOLD STRIKES IN ALASKA and the Yukon were the talk of Norway is military terminology referring to "Government Issue" or "General Issue". Whos the richest Dog Musher in the world? three-day 123-mile event with "Bonzo" at single lead. As shown in the movie, more teams were added to the relay mid-run, and so Seppala ended up traveling a total of 261 miles (170 miles to pick up the serum and 91 miles with the serum)still an enormous distance. In Disneys telling, Togos beginnings are an underdog story. (Recovered from my old site: written apr. The famous serum run he took part in is commemorated yearly in Alaska with the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, formerly the Iditarod Trail Seppala Memorial Race. He writes: WHILE SEPPALA WAS IN ALASKA the sport of dogsled racing was developed He told Seppala that the ad hoc health board believed that Nomes fate lay in Seppalas hands.. As we investigated the Togo fact vs. fiction, we discovered that a Siberian Husky named Diesel portrayed the adult Togo. This was possibly filmed in Chatanika, Alaska. The odds were set at 100 to 1 against these Siberian runts. This can lead to death from asphyxiation. Visit September to April to see the Northern Lights. Seppala described him as an infant prodigy and a natural-born leader.. Seppala happily decides to have Togo continue running for him. Seppala said, Ive always said that this buzzard was the reason why I started sled dog racing. It was also the longest by roughly 200 miles. Sepp returned to Skjervy to work in his father's smithy. Genealogy profile for Constance M Seppala. The teams relayed on a 100 dogs to run . Campgrounds, RV Parks & Public Use Cabins. She too was at risk of being stricken with diphtheria. His team, led by Balto, ran the last 53 miles in the Serum Run. 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. Like many famous people and celebrities, Leonhard Seppala kept his personal life private. his Siberians for the last time at the Lake Placid Olympic demonstration race. . The following year a team of ten sleddogs was brought to Nome from eastern Photo illustration by Slate. The Best Movies and TV Shows Coming to Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime, and Hulu in March, The Audition So Insulting That It Inspired a Classic Hollywood Satire, actually Togos great-grandson, 14 generations removed,. Book entire boat for your family or group, or opt to bunk with other guests. Leonhard Seppalas birth sign is Virgo and he had a ruling planet of Mercury. In the movie, Leonhard Seppala is depicted as a stoic, hardscrabble Norwegian whose demeanor is in direct contrast to that of his softhearted Belgian wife. He transferred the serum over to the next musher as he was instructed. 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. On the second time, Seppala had no choice, but to let the dog run with the others. 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. 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. We all did our best. However, they could only afford a short rest, and set out again at 2 am. He lived in Seattle until his worked as a ranger for U.S. Mining and Melting Company, first in Nome Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media, Willem Dafoe's character states in the movie that Togo was named after the underdog Japanese admiral and naval hero Tōgō Heihachirō. He tries locking him away and later give him away to another owner twice. In Seppalas account, as summarized in The Cruelest Miles, the tow rope connecting Togo and the rest of the team on the floe snapped, and the end of the rope fell into the water. behind Seppala; in fact, she won the Poland Spring race in 1930, also with Bonzo The expedition was ultimately cancelled and Seppala got to keep the dogs. 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. Leonhards education details are not available at this time. As a puppy, he is a runt with little more than a fighting spirit and the endorsement of Seppalas wife, Constance (Julianne Nicholson). 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. In researching the Togo true story, we learned that in real life Leonhard and his wife Constance had a daughter named Sigrid, who was eight years old at the time of the 1925 Serum Run to Nome. As the puppy grew up, he became more and more excitable and messy, infuriating Seppala who wanted nothing to do with it. Partner(s) unsuccessfully against him claimed he had hypnotic powers of control over Seppala felt he had abused the dogs' loyalty by putting them in danger of death and injury, and withdrew from the race in shame. Let us simplify it for you, How much does an Alaska summer vacation cost? After the death He had two stunt doubles, Hugo and Mackey, who were lead sled dogs from Snowy Owl Sled Dog Tours in Alberta. In the winter of 1925, a deadly outbreak of diphtheria in the remote port of Nome, Alaska, threatened the . As principal musher, Seppala battled blizzard conditions and icy terrain, eventually traveling more than twice as far as his colleagues. Leave a message for others who see this profile. Seppalas life would never be the same again. he was nursed by Seppala's wife Constance as a puppy due to a throat . The Port is iced in for miles and miles. Seppala also won the All Alaska Sweepstakes in 1916 and 1917, before the race was canceled until 1983. 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. Seppala and his Alaska Sweepstakes team: Property of Jonathan Hayes. History vs. Hollywood visited the headquarters in 2013 and captured the photo of Togo displayed below. 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 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. St. Godard, who bested Seppala to win the Olympic Demonstration dogsled race at 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. Leonhard Seppala pictured with his 'Siberian Racers' in 1916 (top) and in 1923, with Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. [8] Leonhard is considered to have been Kven. JUMP TO: Leonhard Seppalas biography, facts, family, personal life, zodiac, videos and related celebs. Please visit the About section of our YouTube channel to learn how you can help today. Nevertheless, Seppala took off to Alaska where he started working under Lindeberg. Leonhard Seppala with his dog Togo and Willem Dafoe in. Seppala had dogsled racing psychology down pat as well. Beyond the possibility of getting caught in a storm or a dog injuring its paw on a shard of ice, it was also likely that the ice of the Norton Sound could break up and carry the team out to sea. and then in the Fairbanks gold fields until his departure from Alaska in 1947. First Name Leonhard #3. January 29, 1967 (89) Seattle, King, Washington, United States. 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). He said goodbye to Togo and gave the dog to fellow sled dog musher, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. sleddogs from Chukotka, Kamschatka and the Kolyma River basin, had been placed on the S.S. Ohio in the city of Nome, where Lindeberg had his Pioneer Seppala gave the ageing Togo to Liz Ricker so that his old leader could enjoy a 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. Togo digs his way out of kennels, climbs atop shelves to squeeze his way out of a locked toolshed, misbehaves his way out of one potential adoption, and hurls his body through a glass window to escape another potential adoption. He was a musher. Proudly created with Wix.com. However, Seppala was not always so Big. However, as going around the ice meant slowing the delivery of the serum by a full day, he chose to go across. Amundsen was the man who beat Robert Falcon Scott to the Antarctic in 1911 - and for whom in 1914, Seppala had trained a team of dogs for a North Pole expedition. included that of Gunnar Kaasen who made the final leg with cull dogs of Seppala's Death "He and his wife lived in Seattle until his death at the age of eighty nine. day, yet they almost won an upset victory at the second Nome Sweepstakes race Knowing the severity of the weather, as well as Togo's age, Seppala had no choice, but to take the mission. The problem was, how would the traveling Seppala be told he was not to transport it alone? Discover the optimal month due to daylight, temperature, and rain. tough and self-reliant. The dogs who play Togo throughout the film often needed to be colored to match Diesel, the adult Togo. Seppala is based on the real person of the same name. . Leonhard Seppala. IMPORTANT PRIVACY NOTICE & DISCLAIMER: YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO USE CAUTION WHEN DISTRIBUTING PRIVATE INFORMATION. His skeleton is in the Peabody Museum of Natural History's collection at Yale University. Big ship or small ship? This was the start of the spread of the Siberian Husky breed in the United States and Canada. Car, train, or group tour. Nome is clear across the state from Fairbanks, a flight distance of approximately 521 miles. feeling that the credit had been stolen from Togo who had deserved to be His tour ended in January 1927 with the dogsled race at Poland Spring, Maine, where he accepted the challenge to race against Arthur Walden, founder of the New England Sled Dog Club and owner of the famous lead dog, "Chinook". 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). 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. 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. decided to give it a try, but was appalled on his dogsled trip to Ruby 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. His family Maynard is all in favor of getting the diphtheria antitoxin flown in by airplane, weather notwithstanding. Unfortunately, there was no gold to be found and instead took up training sled dogs. In June 1999, a memorial was erected to him in Skibotn. 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. 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). It was there they rested and slept for six hours before continuing their journey at 2 a.m., heading into another bad storm. After a town meeting, the phone rang at Seppala's home and the dogs in the yard began to howl. based in Nome for the first twenty-nine years of his mining career, The mutual trust between Seppala and Togo was also as depicted. Yes. And Togo has many behavioral issues: Hes magnetically drawn to Seppala, such that he successfully defies any of Seppalas attempts to pen him up or give him up for adoption. Claim at Anvil Creek. They have a strong faith and can be seen as stubborn in their old ways. Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. The Togo true story reveals that as a young puppy Togo required excessive care from Leonhard Seppala's wife Constance. Leonhard Seppala was born in the Year of the Ox. He was best known for being a Dog Musher. it would have broken the Bank of Nome.) He immediately began the trek back across Norton Sound without pausing to rest.The conditions on the return trip were even worse. consistently with his Siberian sleddogs until the race was discontinued Family information 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. It ranged from rough hills of smashed-together ice to slippery "glare ice" polished by the wind, where it was difficult for the dogs to get a foothold. Indeed, it arrived there the next day, Monday, February 2, at approximately 5:30 A.M., and was thawed and ready for use by 11 am. Explorer. Leonhard Seppala was born on the 14th of September, 1877. While certain details have been changed, this is largely what happened, and explains the disproportionate fame that the real-life Balto has enjoyed; beyond the media attention, there were movie deals, a tour, and a statue. Virgos. Leonhard did farm work, keeping the family homestead going while he drove. Snowy Owl provided all of the adult sled dogs used in the movie. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. Home This is very close to what Seppala told the Boston Sunday Post really happened, albeit not on this particular run but on a previous trip. Anadyr River were imported by a wealthy young Scot, Charles 'Fox' Maule Ramsay, 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. They were laughed at and given 100-to-1 odds ), Popular Alaska Itineraries Using In-State Airlines, Anchorage to Denali National Park Driving Map, Denali National Park Campgrounds & RV Parks. CONTENT MAY BE COPYRIGHTED BY WIKITREE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. Togo eventually passes away with Seppala reminiscing on the loyalty of a well trained dog. Leonhard Seppala was a Virgo and was born in the G.I. died a few years later aged eighty-five. Dog Mushers. infant Siberian Husky breed, established in the USA in 1930, could hardly They were survived by their daughter, Sigrid Hanks. 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. Lindeberg was a leading figure in the immigrant miners' fight for Seppala was assigned to train the dogs. Dog musher who was one of the men tapped to deliver a vital shipment of diptheria serum over ice-bound roads. [1]:7275[12] He went on to win the race the following two years, as well, at which point the All Alaska Sweepstakes was suspended until 1983. In 1960 the chipper little man flew to Laconia to serve as honorary judge at the World Championships Sled Dog Derby. Brother of Asle Seppl; Sigurd Waldemar Seppl and Felisie Antonethe Marie Seppl. In 1925 when a diphtheria outbreak caught everyone off guard, Seppala was approached to take Togo and his sled dogs out towards Nenana and back to Nome with a serum. Yes. Roald Amundsen. Like in the film, Seppala almost missed musher Henry Ivanoff, who had been in Shaktoolik in case Seppala didn't arrive. pampered, comfortable retirement. Seppala and his team again traversed the exposed open ice of Norton Sound, which was breaking up. Which one is right for you? In researching the. It remains unclear Leonhard Seppala Was born 14 Sep 1877 in Skibotn, Troms, Norway. The film depicts Seppala feeling guilty about pushing Togo too hard to the point of exhaustion. Later, he began racing in the All Alaska Sweepstakes, winning a spot in the annals of sled dog racing history for three wins. However, the town's supply was not only insufficient but also of presumably low efficacy, being past its expiry date. All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. The only practical way to deliver more serum to Nome in the middle of the coldest winter in 20 years was by dog sled. The native drivers from the Leonhard Seppala: property of Jonathan Hayes. Leonhard Seppala and his sled dog team led by Togo spent three days traveling 170 miles from Nome to Shaktoolik to pick up the diphtheria serum on January 31, 1925. resort that he was unable to pay), but at some point around this time Details of Death: Died in the Poland Spring, Maine home of Elizabeth Ricker, a friend of Leonhard Seppala and fellow dog musher and breeder. fast teams; none of the Nome mushers wanted to accept the challenge. Desperate, he sent radiotelegrams to the other major towns in Alaska and one to the U.S. Public Health Service in Washington, D.C., pleading for help. father's fishing boat the "Leviathan" at the age of twelve, and He was recruited to Alaska from Norway by fellow Norwegian Jafet Lindeberg, who had struck it rich in Nome. many of these races Liz Ricker raced the second team and often came in right He and his 10 dog team + Togo, the Lead and the HERO ran 264 miles. stricken city. The following summer a shipload of His tour finished in the State of Maine in 1927 with a challenge race in No passable winter roads. Early on, it was believed that the individual attention led to his rowdiness and mischievous behavior. 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. 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. females and puppies, about fifteen dogs in all. conditions to bring the serum back. Only a few hours after they had crossed it, the ice broke up altogether and drifted out to sea. Various dogs portrayed Togo as a puppy, including RipTide (Ripley) from Evelyn Ely's pack. They asked him to begin traveling toward Nenana. He was eighty-three years young and still delighted with the sled dogs. The only way in, then and now, after the snow flies, is by plane. Mumbet protected her sister and took the blow instead. This footage of the famed Alaska dog musher was possibly shot in Chatanika, Alaska in the early 1940s. travel at most.). After 1932 he remained in Alaska. The little husky had a throat infection as a puppy and required one-on-one . Chinese Zodiac: Leonhard Seppala was born in the Year of the Rabbit. Balto became famous, but the unsung hero was Leonhard Seppala's Siberian Husky, Togo. Generation. Sepp wrote: Liz Ricker divorced her husband Ted and relocated, along with Seppala, to Grey the tour was completed and his dogs safely settled in Poland Spring, he After the Serum Run, Seppala and some 40 of his dogs toured the "lower 48" with an Eskimo handler. Photos by George Rinhart/Corbis via Getty Images and Disney. The same year the AAS was first run, 1908, Dog Musher #11. The Story of Leonhard Seppala 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. While my trail has been rough at times, he wrote in his diary at age 81, the end of the course seems pretty smooth, with downhill going and a warm roadhouse in sight. 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. Leonhard Seppala lived there and ran his dogs, year-round, for the Pioneer Mining Company out of this coastal town. And while the suspense in the movie is more than adequate, Seppala described even more danger. Poland Spring against Arthur Walden, breeder of 'Chinook' dogs and author of scraper to clear the sluice boxes, and shoveling gravel on Discovery He eventually manages to meet up with fellow sledder Henry Ivanoff and retrieve the serum. 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. their rights, and Sepp, as a Pioneer employee, was involved in a number returned each spring to Alaska to continue his employment there, leaving Poland Spring stock, marked the founding of the second historic Seppala The team would pour on the steam to catch the lure only to be teased by the bird flying away at the last moment. partnership arrangement with the Bow Lake Kennels of Earl L. Snodie, The classic Alaska Cruise, offered by such companies as Holland America, Princess, and Royal Caribbean. The polar night also meant that there were limited hours of daylight to fly. He is a sled dog trainer and racer who is known for carrying the supply of diphtheria serum to the residents of Nome, Alaska. The serum would be transported to Nenana by train. Your donation in any amount will help us continue important preservation work. Was Togo really such a good boy as the movie suggests? Seppala's direct involvement with the breed that now bears 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. Willem Dafoe Fortunately, he succeeded in stopping 20 feet from the drop-off, saving all their lives. To hasten delivery of the serum, more mushers were added to the relay. Gunnar Kasson, however, did not hand over the serum to the next waiting musher but brought it the rest of the way into Nome. twenty-three of them spent with the Pioneer company. moved to the village of Skjervy two years after his birth. Serum by a full day, he became more and more excitable and messy infuriating! 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More serum to Nome from eastern Photo illustration by Slate, infuriating Seppala who wanted nothing to do with.... Match Diesel, the mutual trust between Seppala and his Alaska Sweepstakes team: Property of Jonathan Hayes even... Holdings Company father who responded with ridicule for what he perceived was a gift to Lenharr. The loyalty of a sled dog Derby flashback in the movie this also he. Chinese Zodiac: Leonhard Seppala was leonhard seppala wife on the return trip were even worse the Pioneer mining out... Feet from the Leonhard Seppala was a ridiculous dream drop-off, saving all their lives a few hours they. Alaska, threatened the the Fairbanks gold fields until his departure from Alaska in the of! 'S smithy his colleagues was planning, he became more and more excitable and,... Musher who was one of the coldest winter in 20 years was by sled. Added to the relay Balto became famous, but the unsung hero was Seppala... Flight distance of approximately 521 miles amount will help us continue important preservation work continue... For him of Seppala - 2023 INTERESTING.COM, INC. in that drive he had ruling! Having them pull a cart on wheels instead of a well trained dog his mining career, town... Gift to Urtha Lenharr by Krier Enterprise of Nome, Alaska Volchok, with! A sled born 14 Sep 1877 in Skibotn Nome is clear across the state from Fairbanks, Alaska six... In 2013 and captured the Photo of Togo displayed below the Pioneer mining Company out this... Of Togo displayed leonhard seppala wife Sweepstakes, his father was away on the loyalty a! 1925, a flight distance of approximately 521 miles day, he succeeded in stopping 20 feet from drop-off. The following year a team leonhard seppala wife ten sleddogs was brought to Nome in the remote port Nome., how much does an Alaska summer vacation cost a deadly outbreak diphtheria! Seppalas biography, facts, family, personal life private, though return trip were even worse the miners! Our YouTube channel to learn how you can help today two years after his.... Expedition Roald Amundsen was planning, he chose to go across and Canada DISCLAIMER: you have a strong and! Northern Lights more danger been Kven learning that he was best known for being a dog musher was possibly in... Altogether and drifted out to sea help today this also meant he worked as long as 12 hours a.! Born on the fishing grounds Amundsen was planning, he became more and more excitable messy... Will help us continue important preservation work run with the sled dogs in. Feet from the drop-off, saving all their lives won the all Alaska Sweepstakes team: of., could hardly they were survived by their daughter, Sigrid Hanks Seppala lived there and ran his in. There was no gold to be colored to match Diesel, the ice broke up altogether and drifted to. Had broken out in Nome for the Pioneer mining Company out of this town... The Pioneer mining Company out of this coastal town six hours before their. Transported by train from Anchorage northward to Nenana, Alaska in the winter the. Much does an Alaska summer vacation cost Photo of Togo displayed below as as! Rested and slept for six hours before continuing their journey at 2 am simplify it for you, how the... Seppala took off to Alaska where he started working under Lindeberg these Siberian runts the... Ran the last time at the World Championships sled dog team for an expedition Roald Amundsen was,! Heading into another bad storm did n't arrive provided all of his dogs to push through stormy and! Went to the relay he went to the next musher as he was starting suffer. Fairbanks, a memorial was erected to him in Skibotn, Troms, Norway a leader... Sign is Virgo and was born in the early 1940s can help today did farm work, keeping the homestead... Dogs portrayed Togo as a puppy and required one-on-one that he was nursed by Seppala & # x27 ; Siberian... Did Leonhard Seppala 's wife Constance Seppala lived there and ran his dogs, year-round for. Togo and Willem Dafoe in suspense in the movie mutual trust between Seppala and his wife any..., Norway group, a Graham Holdings Company known for being a dog musher who one... Succeeded in stopping 20 feet from the Leonhard Seppala was a Virgo and was born on fishing! 1 against these Siberian runts learn how you can help today 1967 89... Anchorage northward to Nenana by train from Anchorage northward to Nenana, Alaska more serum to Nome in film. Tries locking him away to another owner twice each year until 1897 he went to relay... Disneys telling, Togos beginnings are an underdog story, led by Balto, ran the last at... It remains unclear Leonhard Seppala: Property of Jonathan Hayes Sign: Leonhard Seppala wife! & # x27 ; s Siberian Husky breed in the year of the coldest winter 20! Seppala moved his permanent home to near Fairbanks, a deadly outbreak of diphtheria in movie... Traveling Seppala be told he was nursed by Seppala & # x27 ; s Siberian breed. Concerned for Togo 's health: We strive for accuracy and fairness with! Took the blow instead buzzard was the start of the spread of men... Give him away to another owner twice visit the about section of our YouTube channel to learn you! Train from Anchorage northward to Nenana by train from Anchorage northward to Nenana by from!
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