MAY 22, 2003

INUPIAQ CHAMPION SLED DOG RACER ALFRED WELLS, SR. DIED 

Born March 5, 1922, in Noorvik, Alaska, Wells grew up in a small village living a traditional Iñupiaq hunting & fishing lifestyle. In 1942, Alfred was drafted into the army, went to Nome for training, and served in the Alaska Territorial Guard. Throughout the 1950s, he was known for being a champion sled dog racer and, in 1958, won the North American Championships in Fairbanks. He later served on the board of the Putoo Village Corporation of Noorvik. From February 29 to March 2, 1996, Alfred participated in the Communities of Memory public storytelling event held in Kotzebue where local residents spoke about their memories of and experiences related to the military. 

Source: “Alfred Wells, Sr.,” Project Jukebox, University of Alaska Fairbanks. Retrieved 11/5/2021. 
Photo: Denali National Park and Reserve, 6/29/2010. Public Domain.  .