"Mush" Moore
Fairbanks, Alaska to Lewiston, Maine
In my book about The History of Sled Dogs in North America I included the stories of several long-distance dogteam drivers, but one which did not get into the book was a fellow named “Mush” Moore, who made an incredible journey during the winter of 1949-50. Moore’s trip was well-documented at the time, and his purpose was among the most noble of all of the intrepid long-distance travelers. Here is his story.
In 1949 a man named “Mush” Moore drove his team of Siberian huskies 6,000 miles from Fairbanks, Alaska to Lewiston, Maine. His huskies were pulling an all metal Flexible Flyer dog sled custom-built and donated by the Flexible Flyer sled company. It had small wheels which could be installed when needed for traveling on snowless trails or roads.
Leaving Fairbanks on November 14, 1949, and arriving in Lewiston April 4, 1951, “Mush” Moore finished the trek with nine of the twelve original Siberian huskies he started with, led by his fantastic lead dog, Minga. Described as “a great big bear of a man in an incredible Alaskan fur parka,” he always gave the dogs all of the credit for his remarkable trip.
Cecil Aldano Moore was employed in the construction field most of his life, as a construction superintendent. He worked on the Alcan Highway, in Iceland and in North Africa, and he oversaw the construction of many bridges. He was the lead foreman on the Augusta Memorial Bridge over the Kennebec River in Augusta, Maine, which was the nation’s largest bridge in both span (2,100 feet) and height at the time of construction in 1949.
Numerous newspaper accounts detailed Moore’s sometimes harrowing trip, facing subzero temperatures, menacing wolves, and one dog nearly killed when it was kicked and trampled by a horse; but at the end of his journey the city of Chicago presented him with the keys to their city, and in New York he dashed down Park Avenue with his huskies to be the star of the 1950 National Sportsman’s Show in Madison Square Garden. Reportedly gregarious and well-spoken, Moore was welcomed at numerous civic events, schools, county fairs and other gatherings.
Moore created a souvenir booklet commemorating the completion of what was termed the World's Championship Dog Sled Run. The cover featured Moore and his team and the 8-page booklet told of his journey in black and white photographs. Funds raised from this trip and sales of the souvenir booklet created the Cecil A. Moore Fund for Underprivileged Children at the Healy Asylum in Lewiston, Maine.
