The Iditarod began in March of 1925 because serum was needed to be delivered to Nome because of a deadly disease called diphtheria . It was organized by Joe Redington and Doroth Page. First the Alaska Railroad ferried medicine at least 250 miles north to Nenana. From there, volunteer dog-sled drivers took turns delivering the serum 674 more miles non-stop.

One time the medicine was almost lost when a monstrous violent rush of wind made the sled overturn onto the musher. The musher anxiously dug through the snow looking for the serum with his bare hands. He eventually recovered it, and persisted on. The serum reached Nome located close to the Bering Sea five days, and seven hours after departing from Nenana. The last team to mush and deliver the serum to Nome in the race had a lead dog named Balto. He has become a legend and was made into a statue standing in the middle of Central Park, NY, and on 4th Avenue in downtown Anchorage.