| Statue of Balto | |
|---|---|
.jpg) The statue in 2010 | |
 | |
| Artist | Frederick Roth |
| Year | 1925 (1925) |
| Subject | Balto |
| Location | New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 40°46′11.9″N73°58′15.7″W / 40.769972°N 73.971028°W /40.769972; -73.971028 |
Abronze statue ofBalto byFrederick Roth is installed inCentral Park,Manhattan, New York. Balto (1919 – March 14, 1933) was anAlaskan husky and sled dog belonging tomusher and breederLeonhard Seppala.[1][2] He achieved fame when he led a team of sled dogs on the final leg of the1925 serum run to Nome, in whichdiphtheriaantitoxin was transported fromAnchorage, Alaska, toNenana, Alaska, by train and then toNome bydog sled to combat an outbreak of the disease.[3][4]
Located north of theCentral Park Zoo near the intersection of East Drive and 67th Street, the sculpture was dedicated on December 17, 1925.[5][6] Roth modeled the sculpture of Balto on a New Hampshire malamute named Chinook. A bas-relief rendering of the pivotal journey is carved into the pedestal. Balto himself was reportedly present at the ceremony.[7]
The statue is a popular attraction: children frequently climb the statue to pretend to ride on the dog.[8] There is a plaque at the base of the statue, which reads:
"Dedicated to the indomitable spirit ofthe sled dogs that relayed antitoxin six hundred miles over rough ice, across treacherous waters, through Arctic blizzards fromNenana to the relief of strickenNome in the Winter of 1925. Endurance · Fidelity · Intelligence".[5]
The statue was used at the ending scene of the 1995Universal Pictures animated filmBalto. In September 2022, actorKevin Bacon, who did the voice of Balto in the animated film, visited the statue during a walk. He posted a short video of himself endearingly commenting on the statue and his film role on his social media accounts, entitling the short video "Ran into an old friend of mine in the park #Balto".[9]
In 2019, the cast and crew of the filmThe Great Alaskan Race paid a visit to the statue.[10]
Media related toBalto (Central Park) at Wikimedia Commons
