A sled dog named Balto gained fame in 1925 for his part in stopping a diphtheria epidemic. In Nome, Alaska, a dangerous outbreak of the disease was threatening the young people of the town. Because of treacherous winter weather, the only way to transport the antitoxin serum from Anchorage to Nome was by dogsled. In hurricane-type winds and temperatures that were seldom higher than 40 below, teams of dogsleds relayed across the nearly 1,000 miles between the two cities. After just six days, musher Gunner Kaassen delivered the serum to Nome. Balto was the leader of this heroic dog team.
Balto became famous throughout the U.S., but after a while, he and other dogs in the team became a traveling sideshow attraction. When a Cleveland businessman discovered the dogs were not being treated well, he bought the dogs and brought them back to Cleveland, where they lived out their lives comfortably. Balto's remains are on display at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. A statue in his honor was erected in New York City's Central Park, where it still stands today.
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