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| “Iditarod Days” 2008-2012 |
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| Written by Theresa Daily | |
| Wednesday, 30 January 2008 | |
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Join Us in Seward at Milepost 0 for the Official Kickoff Celebration
Please join us on Saturday, February 2nd in Seward, Alaska, home to Milepost 0 of the Iditarod National Historic Trail, for the official centennial kickoff celebration. Event begins at 9:00am at the Seward Senior Center with a tasty “Sourdough” Alaskan breakfast fundraiser. At noon we will meet at the official Milepost 0 (next to the SeaLife Center on the bike path) for an opening ceremony and historical re-enactment of Col. W.L. Goodwin’s 1908 blazing of the Iditarod Trail to Nome. Kid’s dog sled rides and other family entertainment will follow. Please look for “trail tripods” which will mark event locations.
Presentations, held at the Legends Building (across from the SeaLife Center on the corner of 5th and Jefferson), will include a “Pioneer Show and Tell,” “History of the Trail,” and “Mushing the Mail on the Iditarod Trail.” In addition to the local historical museum, memorabilia and displays will be on site for your enjoyment throughout the day. You can also come and get husky face painting for the kids, a historical mushing portrait taken with the family, learn about training dogs, and compete with other teams to prove that you are smarter than a husky. On Sunday, February 3rd, the Seward Nordic Ski Club will offer a skijor race starting at 10am. Location/distance TBA. Why are we celebrating? The year 2008 marks the 100th anniversary of the start of Alaska Road Commission efforts to open an overland route from Seward to Nome. First scouted in 1908, the Iditarod Trail was completed by crews working through mid-winter temperatures of minus-50 F in 1910 and 1911. Within a year, thousands of gold-seekers hiked or mushed the government trail to the Iditarod gold fields, and gold-carrying sled dog teams became a regular site on the Trail. Due to population increases resulting from the rush to the Last Frontier, Congress in 1912 elevated Alaska from District to Territorial status. In 1978, Congress designated the Iditarod National Historical Trail. To commemorate these epic achievements, an interagency and partner alliance has chosen February 2008-October 2012 as the official Trail Centennial. Over the course of the next four years, the group will create public awareness of the history and recreational benefits of the trail while increasing partner and community involvement to protect trail resources and to inspire future generations to continue the legacy. For more information and schedule of events please go to www.Iditarod100.org. Schedule will be continually updated so check back prior to the event for entire listing of events. Event brought to you by the following partners: Alaska SeaLife Center, City of Seward, Cooper Landing Historical Society, Howling Husky Homestead, Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance, National Park Service, Port City Players, Resurrection Bay Conservation Alliance, Seward Animal Shelter, Seward Chamber of Commerce, Seward Elks Club, Seward Museum, Seward Nordic Ski Club, Seward Senior Center, Seward Trailblazers, State of Alaska’s Office of History and Archaeology, USDA Forest Service, USDOI Bureau of Land Management, and more. Comments (0)
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| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 January 2008 ) |
The 100 Year legacy of the Iditarod National Historic Trail
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