In the harsh winter of 1925, the remote Alaskan town of Nome faced a dire threat: a diphtheria epidemic. With its port frozen and no access to the outside world, the community’s only hope lay in a daring relay of dog sled teams carrying life-saving antitoxin. While Balto is often celebrated, the true hero of this perilous journey was Togo, a remarkable Siberian Husky who led his team across the most treacherous terrain.
Nome, situated just two degrees south of the Arctic Circle, was home to a population of approximately 1,400 people, a mix of Alaskan Natives and European settlers. During the winter months, from November to July, the Bering Sea froze over, cutting off Nome from all sea transport. The Iditarod Trail, a grueling 938-mile route from Seward to Nome, became the sole lifeline. Dr. Curtis Welch, the town’s only physician, had anticipated a shortage of diphtheria antitoxin and ordered a new supply months in advance. However, the crucial shipment failed to arrive before the port’s closure. Early in the winter, Dr. Welch treated several children for what he initially believed to be tonsillitis. Tragically, as these cases multiplied and some children died, he began to suspect the terrifying reality of diphtheria.
By mid-January, Dr. Welch confirmed the first official diagnosis of diphtheria in a three-year-old boy, who succumbed to the illness two weeks later. The following day, a seven-year-old girl also died. Recognizing the imminent danger of a full-blown epidemic, Dr. Welch convened an emergency meeting with Mayor George Maynard. A strict quarantine was imposed, but by the end of the month, over 20 cases were confirmed, with at least 50 more individuals at risk. Without the antitoxin, the mortality rate was predicted to be nearly 100 percent.
With aircraft and ships grounded by the severe weather, the townspeople made the difficult decision to rely on a relay of dog sled teams to transport the vital medicine across the frozen wilderness. Though Balto has achieved widespread fame, it was Togo, a Siberian Husky, who courageously led his team through the most perilous and longest stretch of the journey.
Togo, named after Admiral Heihachiro Togo of Japan, was the lead sled dog for Leonhard Seppala, a Norwegian breeder and racer of Siberian huskies descended from the Chukchi Inuit stock of Siberia. Togo was a striking dog, with dark brown fur marked by cream, black, and grey. He possessed piercing ice-blue eyes and, when fully grown, weighed around 48 pounds. As a puppy, Togo suffered from a painful throat condition that initially diminished Seppala’s interest in him, leading to his adoption. However, Togo’s deep bond with Seppala was undeniable; he escaped his adoptive home by jumping through a window, determined to stay with his team. Initially a boisterous and sometimes troublesome puppy, Togo often harassed Seppala’s teams during harnessing and on the trail. To manage his energy, Seppala placed Togo in a wheel position, directly in front of the sled. During a journey to transport a miner, Seppala gradually moved Togo up the line until he shared the lead position with Russky, the established lead dog. Remarkably, on his very first day in harness, Togo covered over 75 miles, an extraordinary feat for an inexperienced young sled dog.
By the time Togo led his team on the Great Race of Mercy to deliver the diphtheria antitoxin, he was a seasoned 12-year-old dog. While Balto is credited with the final leg of the delivery, carrying the medicine into Nome, those who understand the full story recognize Balto as the backup dog. Balto completed a 55-mile run, whereas Togo’s segment was significantly longer and fraught with greater danger.
Following his heroic service, Togo retired to Poland Spring, Maine, where he was euthanized at the age of 16. Seppala, deeply moved by Togo’s dedication, had his remains custom-mounted. The mounted skin was initially displayed at the Shelbourne Museum in Vermont. After a successful campaign by Alaskan students, Togo’s mounted skin was returned to Alaska and is now on display at the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Headquarters museum in Wasilla. The Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University preserves Togo’s skeletal remains in its collection. What truly makes Togo an American hero is his triumph over adversity to save thousands of lives. In 1960, Seppala reflected on his extraordinary canine companion: “I never had a better dog than Togo. His stamina, loyalty and intelligence could not be improved upon. Togo was the best dog that ever traveled the Alaska trail.”
