The March, 2024 issue of Alaska magazine includes a very nice review by Alaskan writer and book critic David A. James of Northern Light Media’s 2023 book, The History of Sled Dogs in North America, by Helen Hegener. From the review: “With its abundant illustrations, essays from other historians, and reprints of old newspaper and magazine articles, the lively book places readers on the trail in the early 20th century.”
David also writes, “One of the surprises of the book is learning just how popular mushing was elsewhere in North America. Events were held in many states, attracting thousands of fans, and (Leonhard) Seppala was just one of several Alaskan mushers who gained national renown on the racing circuit.”
Subtitled From the Bering Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, the 416-page full-color book is a large 8.5 x 11” format, and is graced by 16 paintings by award-winning artist Veryl Goodnight, whose website includes the complete collection of sled dog paintings featured in the book, and a video about ‘The Gold Rush Dogs.’
David James notes in his review that sled dog racing “was wildly popular in Alaska, Canada, and the northern tier of the United States” in the first half of the 20th century, and the book covers many of these great races, but races are not the focus of the book. The intent was to show the great diversity of sled dog activity during that time, and covers dog teams delivering the U.S. mail, hauling freight and passengers, transporting polar explorers, doctors, medical teams, missionaries, and serving the military and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, in addition to the teams used by trappers, prospectors, surveyors, and people just trying to get from one place to another.
One amusing tale in the book relates how a Mrs. Blakemore, who owned a restaurant in the remote northern Yukon Territory silver mining camp of Keno Hill, traveled home from Dawson City by dog team with “two fine dressed turkeys for her Christmas dinner,” likely to be the only turkeys in camp. She was also carrying some rosebush cuttings and an assortment of imported flower bulbs.
The book is extensively annotated, includes resources and a lengthy bibliography, and is fully indexed. ISBN 979-8365139428 $69.95 plus $6.00 shipping. Also available through any bookstore. An excerpt from the book is below.
From The History of Sled Dogs in North America:
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