Kenneth Huston of the Sheffield Hotel in Anchorage, flew to Nome prior to the 1984 Nome Banquet with 700 pounds of meat, gallons and gallons of salads, crates of cauliflower, cases of green beans and 25 flats of fresh strawberries. Kenneth was a chef and his job when arriving in Nome was to cook for the 1,000 plus people who attended the Nome Banquet. Huston did his final cooking at the Nome High School. ‘Baron of Beef and Virginia Baked Ham’ were on the menu. The race rules back then required the banquet to be held on the evening of the third day after the first musher crossed the finish line on Front Street. Dean Osmar was the winner of the 1984 race.
The 1983 and 1984 banquets were coordinated by Rick Virden of Alaska National Bank. The banquet was held at Nome’s new recreation center. The event was a join treat by Alaska National Bank of the North, Alaska Airlines, and the Exxon Company. The plan was to donate the proceeds from the banquet back to the Iditarod. The packed crowd at the banquet enjoyed the meal and stories from the trail. Everyone said the banquet was, “Great food, good music, and good fun!”
Under the burl arch on Front Street in Nome, on March 23, 1984, Iditarod finisher, Rick Atkinson and Carole Robertson, both of Great Britain, were married by the local magistrate. The sun was shining on this cold and windy afternoon. The arch was decorated with flags of Great Britain, Norway, Canada, and the United States. 1984 finisher Kari Skogen was the Maid of Honor. Larry ‘Cowboy’ Smith, of Dawson City in the Yukon Territory, who had raced in Iditarod, too, was the Best Man. Mayor Leo Rasmussen gave the Bride away. Following the ceremony, 30 – 40 guests celebrated at the Nugget Inn, toasting the future of the Bride and Groom.
‘Someone once said’, as quoted from the 1985 Iditarod Trail Race Annual, “The mushers in the back are important; if they weren’t there, we couldn’t have any first place winners.”
In 1983, Iditarod Trail Headquarters in Wasilla became a reality! Through the hard work of Representative Ron Larson of Palmer, the state legislature approved a $300,000 grant to build permanent headquarters in Wasilla. A 9.7 acre section of land at Mile 2.5 on the Knik Road was chosen as the building site and Headquarters location. A building committee was appointed to design and build a suitable building and visitor’s center. During this time, Iditarod Headquarters was located on the second floor of Teeland’s Country Store in Wasilla and the phone number was 376-5155….
From the 1985 Iditarod Trail Annual… “Volunteers keep the Iditarod Going! Each year, the number of volunteers involved in the Iditarod is growing. In 1984, there were over 1,000 people who volunteered their time to the race. Some volunteer all during the year. Others work only at race time. Volunteers from all over the state make the race happen. Some volunteers are professional people who take time off from their practices to act as veterinarians; others take vacation time to act as pilots and HAM operators. Rather than go to sunny Hawaii or Old Mexico, others opt to be checkers at such lonely places as Rohn or Sulatna Crossing. Others answer phones in the headquarters office in Wasilla or race headquarters offices in Anchorage, Eagle River, Juneau, Fairbanks, and Nome to keep people informed about the race. In Nome, the computer classes in the Jr. and Sr. high school gets involved. Without all these volunteers, scattered all across the state, we couldn’t have the Iditarod race. They provide what we call “the spirit of the Last Great Race.”
The Honorary Musher in 1985: Bill Egan: Governor William ‘Bill’ Egan, reached the end of his trail in 1984. His political career spanned almost 35 years, from the days he served as a Territorial representative and senator to the days he served as Alaska’s first Governor and later won a second term. Bill was born October 8, 1914 in Valdez where he spent his boyhood and youth and returned after World War II to open a general mercantile store. He married Neva McKettrick in 1940. Bill began his involvement with Iditarod in 1966 when he met Joe Redington, Sr. and Dorothy Page at the Alaska State Fairgrounds at a log cabin Iditarod booth. “If there’s ever anything I can do to help you,” he had told Joe and Dorothy, “just let me know.” Joe and Dorothy called on him many times. Governor Bill Egan was remembered at the banquet and with ‘bib 1’. This was the first time a non-musher was awarded the honor of being the honorary musher at the start of the Iditarod.
Finishing in 45th place and as the Red Lantern in the 1984 Iditarod was Bill Mackey, son of Dick Mackey, the 1978 Champion and brother of Rick Mackey, the 1983 Champion. (and brother to Lance!) Upon reaching Nome, he had only 2 hours to get ready for the second banquet at the Mini Convention Center. “I don’t mind being last. I made it!” (1985 Iditarod Trail Annual)
Ed Borden finished 44th in the 1984 Iditarod. Ed was from Birmingham, Alabama but was working in Soldotna for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Most of his dogs were from the ‘Alabama Gang’. He wasn’t satisfied with sprint races ‘outside’ and had begun training for Iditarod in 1982. Ed was a former race car driver. He had a little bad luck at Rabbit Lake when he turned his back on the team to get a cup of hot chocolate. The team discovered some nearby dog food. They were on the food in a second to enjoy a delicious meal. They ate until they couldn’t eat any more and were so full, they didn’t want to leave. The food and the heat of the day made the dogs sleepy. Departure was delayed and after some time, Ed finally put his ‘Alabama’ dogs in the front of the team, with ‘Queenie’ in the lead, the team got going again.
David Scheer arrived in Nome in 41st place in 1984 with a time of 1708:53:05. Prior to the race, he listed his occupation as dog handler, waiter, sled builder, and snowshoe maker. At the end of the race, he added, “1984 Iditarod Finisher” to his occupations.
During Jim Lanier’s first Iditarod in 1979, Lanier raised funds for the new Thermal Unit at Providence Hospital for victims of burns and frostbite. Pledges ran from a penny to a dollar a mile. Lanier earned about $14,000 for the hospital by finishing the race. Later that year, the hospital had a ‘Dr. Lanier Day,’ honoring Lanier and his dog team for their efforts.
