With the very cold weather, today seems perfect to look at the Alaskan Dog Sled Mail Carrier.  The weather forecast for coastal North Carolina is calling for snow tomorrow, which is unusual for us.

In looking at the Smithsonian Newsdesk Snapshot Posting from January 10, 2012, it shares about the Alaskan Dog Sled Mail Carrier.

“Dog sleds transported mail in some areas of the northern U.S. and the Alaskan Territory during winter months. Contract carriers used these sleds across Alaska from the late 19th century into the early 1920s. Isolated for much of the year, remote populations sometimes relied on dog sleds for contact with the outside world. Weight was a critical factor for the dogs—mail traveling on sleds was usually restricted to first-class pieces unless room was available for newspapers, magazines and packages. These items were otherwise left behind until spring, when they might be transported by steamboat or wagon.”  

Dogsled mail in Alaska

There is an article on “Dogsled mail in Alaska“ by Author Helen Hegener from The Anchorage Daily News.

From it, we read “…In the more isolated sections, carrying the mail required methods far different than those traditionally used elsewhere in the United States.”

In addition to this article, she has a book, “Alaskan Sled Dog Tales: True Stories of the Steadfast Companions of the North Country” that came out in April 2016.

I’m sharing with our Brittany Spaniel, Cooper, that the weather could be colder!

While at the fireplace perhaps we will put pen to paper for a letter or two.

Anchors Aweigh,  

Helen

Alaskan Dog Sled Mail Carrier Attribution & Thank you to the following who are referenced today

Smithsonian Newsdesk Snapshot Posting, January 10, 2012, Alaskan Dog Sled Mail Carrier

Dogsled mail in Alaska Published June 2, 2011, Anchorage Daily News, Updated June 30, 2016; Author: Helen Hegener.

Alaskan Sled Dog Tales, Posted April 2, 2016, Northern Light Media website