This ghost town, once a bustling community of over 10,000, was the heart of the Iditarod Mining District, from whence the trail got its name. Dog teams hauled supplies and mail into this area and were then laden with gold for their return trip out. Between 1908 and 1925, about $35 million in gold was taken from this area. At that time, gold was worth around $20 an ounce. Iditarod marks the official half-way point in the race on the southern trail, signified by GCI’s presentation of the half-way award.