arrow A statue for Balto, the indomitable lead dog who carried that famous serum to Nome, in Central Park. 1934. AP/Shutterstock
While watching the news this past week about the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine, the former Borough Historian of Manhattan, Michael Miscione was reminded of something: that dog statue in Central Park.
In January 1925, a Siberian Husky named Balto, along with a team of sled dogs, brought the diphtheria antitoxin to Nome, Alaska a story that made national headlines. The small town was on the verge of an outbreak the only cure was in Anchorage, and sled dogs were the last hope of transporting it. Their mission was accomplished, and the dogs were celebrated all over the country.