Anchorage's Mushing District was a project dreamt up in the early 2010s and given the go ahead by then Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz in 2019. The district is the stretch of Downtown Anchorage that the Fur Rondy and Iditarod races traditionally start from each year. It has taken the organizers several years to begin bringing their vision to life. Fundraising from sponsors and community members has been ongoing, with bronze foot prints and husky faces marking the sidewalks with the names of sponsors, and now the banners. The fundraising will culminate in the creation of " a steel truss arch with the silhouette of a dog team and musher racing across the arch" over 4th Avenue.
The post from the Mushing District's facebook shared the renderings of the banners alongside photos of the volunteers hanging the banners from the light posts in the rain. Portraits of mushing's greatest sprint and long distance mushers in both color and black and white sit on a purple banner with their name and their race stats. Names like George Attla, Susan Butcher, Herbie Nayokpuk, Joe Redington, Earl Norris, and Roxy Wright will represent the hundreds of mushers throughout history.
Another big announcement from last week for the Mushing District is the proclaimation from present Mayor Dave Bronson that the City of Anchorage will take ownership and maintain the arch once it is put in place. "On Friday, I participated in the Fur Rondy pin unveiling and announced a formal agreement that the municipality officially recognizes a part of 4th avenue as the Mushing District,
Mayor Bronson wrote on Facebook, "This will be an added tourist attraction and a way to commemorate the historic Iditarod race!"
The banners are, according to the district's social media page, not a permanent addition to the district. They do not have a timeline for when the banners will come down, so if you want to go see them, go as soon as you can.
Have you seen the banners? Share what you think in the comments below!
