In the harsh winter of 1925, the remote Alaskan town of Nome faced a terrifying crisis: a deadly diphtheria outbreak was rapidly spreading, particularly endangering the children among its 10,000 inhabitants. Nome’s isolation turned the situation into a potential catastrophe. Lifesaving antitoxin was available, but the closest point reachable by rail was Nenana, a daunting 674 miles away. With a severe blizzard imminent, air transport was impossible. Officials concluded the only hope lay in a relay of sled dog teams. This desperate mission, known as the “Great Race of Mercy,” would hinge on incredible endurance, and ultimately reveal the True Story Of Togo, a canine hero whose feats were initially overshadowed.
Twenty teams were hastily assembled, including one led by Leonhard Seppala, Alaska’s most respected musher. In a remarkable feat of speed and resilience, the serum reached Nome in just five and a half days. While Balto, the lead dog of the final 53-mile leg, gained widespread fame, many involved knew the real linchpin of the operation was Seppala and his lead Siberian Husky, Togo. Facing treacherous conditions, the 12-year-old Togo led Seppala’s team across an astonishing 264 miles of the most perilous terrain, far exceeding the average 31 miles covered by other teams.
For many years, Balto, who ironically also came from Seppala’s kennels, was celebrated, even immortalized with a statue in New York City’s Central Park. However, those familiar with the serum run’s brutal reality recognized Togo as its unsung champion. Gradually, aided by historians and advocates, Togo’s incredible contribution gained the recognition it deserved. In 2001, Togo received his own statue in NYC’s Seward Park. The narrative continued to shift, culminating in the 2019 Disney+ film Togo, which brought his bravery to a global audience, starring his own descendant, Diesel. Togo’s legacy was further cemented by his inclusion in the AKC Museum of the Dog’s exhibition, “Mush! A Tribute to Sled Dogs From Arctic Exploration to the Iditarod.”
From Rambunctious Pup To Legendary Lead
Togo the Siberian Husky leads Leonhard Seppala’s sled dog team on an Alaskan trail in 1921, showcasing his early prowess.
Leonhard Seppala, originally from Norway, arrived in Alaska in 1900. At the time, sled dogs were typically larger Alaskan Malamutes or mixed breeds. Working for the Pioneer Mining Company, Seppala quickly established himself as a formidable musher. Around this period, the first Siberian Huskies arrived in Nome via Russian fur trader William Goosak. These smaller dogs, weighing around 50 pounds, caused a stir by placing third in the 1909 All-Alaska Sweepstakes race.
Recognizing their potential, English musher Fox Ramsay imported 60 top Siberian specimens the following summer. In the 1910 All-Alaska Sweepstakes, a team composed entirely of these Siberians, driven by musher “Iron Man” Johnson, not only won but set a course record that still stands. The smaller, tenacious Siberians proved themselves exceptional sled dogs.
While precise records are scarce, Togo is believed to have been born in 1913 to a dam named Dolly, considered a foundational bitch for the breed. Seppala’s kennel housed many of Nome’s best sled dogs. As a puppy, Togo was plagued by health issues, and Seppala initially dismissed the undersized pup as unsuitable. Given away to a neighbor, Togo demonstrated his fierce spirit by launching himself through a glass window to return home. Seppala realized he was stuck with the determined, if troublesome, youngster.
As Togo matured, he was fascinated by the working teams. Though too young for a harness, he frequently escaped to run alongside Seppala’s training teams, causing his owner considerable grief. This mischievous streak led to a severe mauling when he encountered a team of larger Malamutes. Frustrated but perhaps intrigued, Seppala finally put a harness on the 8-month-old Togo and integrated him into the team. That very day, Togo ran an impressive 75 miles, working his way up to the lead position on his first run. Seppala had inadvertently discovered the exceptional lead dog he had always desired.
Togo & the 1925 Nome Serum Run
Over the ensuing years, Togo became renowned throughout Alaska for his incredible tenacity, strength, intelligence, and endurance as Seppala’s premier lead dog. He led Seppala’s team on countless races and journeys, forming an inseparable bond with his musher. During this period, Seppala himself triumphed in the All-Alaska Sweepstakes in 1915, 1916, and 1917, with Togo often at the helm.
Leonhard Seppala poses with six Siberian Huskies including Togo (far left) before the demanding 1925 serum run.
When the diphtheria epidemic struck Nome in 1925, Togo was 12 and Seppala 47 – both arguably past their physical peak. Yet, with the town’s fate hanging in the balance, the community knew this experienced pair represented their best chance. As the death toll climbed, the decision was made: a relay of dog sled teams would transport the 300,000 units of serum the final 674 miles from Nenana. On January 29th, Seppala departed Nome with his 20 best Siberians, led by the reliable Togo, heading east to intercept the serum relay. Notably absent was Balto, whom Seppala deemed not yet ready for such a demanding task.
Facing the Alaskan Fury: Togo’s Epic Journey
Battling temperatures plunging to -30 degrees Fahrenheit, Seppala and his team made extraordinary time, covering over 170 miles eastward in just three days. Back in Nome, the crisis intensified. Unbeknownst to Seppala, officials decided to add more teams to expedite the relay. Seppala made the perilous decision to cut across the frozen, unstable Norton Sound to save crucial time and distance. In a stroke of near-miraculous fortune, he encountered Henry Ivanoff’s team—one of the late additions—carrying the serum westward. The teams almost passed each other unseen in the whiteout conditions, but the dogs’ instincts likely played a role in making the vital connection. The precious cargo was transferred, and Seppala and Togo immediately turned back towards Nome.
The return journey across Norton Sound proved even more hazardous. The team became trapped on a cracking ice floe. Thinking fast, Seppala attached a lead line to Togo, his only hope, and threw the dog across a five-foot gap of open, freezing water. Togo attempted to pull the ice floe carrying the sled and Seppala, but the line snapped. In an astonishing display of intelligence and instinct, the veteran lead dog caught the broken line in his mouth, wrapped it around his shoulders harness-style, and pulled with all his might, eventually dragging the floe and his team to safety. This single act cemented his legendary status.
The Final Legs and Shifting Fame
After conquering the treacherous Sound and covering an almost unbelievable distance, the exhausted Seppala and his dogs finally reached Golovin, 78 miles from Nome, to hand off the serum. Among the teams assigned to the relay’s later stages was one driven by Gunnar Kaasen. Against Seppala’s judgment, Kaasen had selected Balto as his lead dog. On February 3rd, 1925, Kaasen and Balto arrived in Nome to a hero’s welcome. The serum was delivered, and the town was saved. While Balto completed the final leg, the True Story Of Togo involves the staggering 264 miles he traversed through the storm’s worst, compared to Balto’s 53 miles on the last, relatively shorter stretch.
The Legacy of Togo
An aging Leonhard Seppala shares a quiet moment with his legendary lead dog Togo in Maine, circa 1929.
Though Kaasen and Balto initially received the majority of the public acclaim, insiders and fellow mushers knew that Seppala and Togo were the pivotal figures in the serum run’s success. In the years following the Great Race of Mercy, Seppala toured the contiguous United States (“Lower 48”) with his heroic dogs. His journey took him to New England, where he participated in a friendly race against a team of local Chinooks. With Togo leading in what would be his final race, Seppala’s smaller Siberians emerged victorious.
Ultimately, Seppala partnered with New England musher Elizabeth Ricker to establish a Siberian Husky kennel in Poland Spring, Maine. Togo lived out his remaining years there peacefully, finally being laid to rest in 1929 at the age of 16. Seppala returned to Alaska in 1932, transferring the kennel’s dogs to his friend Harry Wheeler. According to the Siberian Husky Club of America, virtually all registered Siberian Huskies today descend from the dogs of the Seppala-Ricker or Wheeler kennels, a direct testament to Togo’s lineage.
The mounted body of Togo the hero sled dog displayed at Iditarod Headquarters, honoring the true story of his serum run bravery.
Over time, recognition of Togo’s paramount role grew. In 1983, his preserved body was given a place of honor at the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Headquarters in Wasilla, Alaska. The Iditarod, Alaska’s most famous sled dog race, held annually in March, partly follows the historic trails blazed during the 1925 serum run, connecting the present to Togo’s courageous past.
Leonhard Seppala passed away in 1967 at age 89. His dedication to his dogs is honored yearly through the Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award, presented to the Iditarod musher demonstrating the best canine care. Before his death, reflecting on the “Great Race of Mercy” that defined his life and elevated sled dogging, Seppala wrote in his unpublished autobiography:
“Afterwards, I thought of the ice and the darkness and the terrible wind and the irony that men could build planes and ships. But when Nome needed life in little packages of serum, it took the dogs to bring it through.” His words underscore the incredible feat and the essential, heroic role played by dogs like Togo in one of history’s most desperate races against time. The true story of Togo is one of unmatched endurance, intelligence, and courage that continues to inspire.
References & Further Reading On Togo:
- Leonhard Seppala: The Siberian Dog and The Golden Age of Sleddog Racing 1908-1941 by Bob & Pam Thomas
- The Cruelest Miles: The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against An Epidemic by Gay & Laney Salisbury
- Togo’s Fireside Reflections by Elizabeth M. Ricker
