The Last Frontier Podcast
Your two hosts of this podcast work as professional guides in the Alaskan outdoor tourism industry and started this podcast as a fun way to keep busy during the pandemic summer of 2020. With uncertainty in what employment might look like, Danny and Andrew still wanted to share the beauty of Alaska with people and this podcast was a good way to achieve that goal. Alaska is an incredible place everybody should put on their destination bucket list. Each episode opens with a beer review highlighting a local Alaskan brewery and then tackles a different topic relating to what makes Alaska such a unique place in the world. With all the fun being had drinking Alaskan brews and sharing fascinating information about the Last Frontier State, what started as a fun short term project has morphed into a long term endeavor. With this decision, investments were made in much better production equipment and the sound quality drastically improves starting in Phase II of the podcast with Episode 17 (Feb 21, 2021 release date). We hope you enjoy the content and strongly encourage you to visit Alaska in the future!
The Last Frontier Podcast
The Great Alaskan Reindeer Heist
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Most people associate reindeer with Santa Claus and the North Pole. But long before they were pulling a sleigh on Christmas Eve, reindeer were at the center of one of the most fascinating and controversial chapters in Alaska history.
In this episode of the Last Frontier Podcast, we explore the incredible story of how thousands of reindeer were imported from Siberia to western Alaska in the late 1800s to provide a sustainable food source and economic opportunity for Alaska Native communities. What began as a humanitarian effort soon collided with the Nome Gold Rush, booming commercial interests, and one ambitious businessman whose actions would forever change Alaska's reindeer industry.
Join us as we trace the rise of Alaska's reindeer herds, the surprising origins of Santa's reindeer in American culture, and the events surrounding what became known as The Great Alaskan Reindeer Heist. It's a story of innovation, greed, government intervention, and an often-forgotten piece of Alaska's past.
Did Alaska already have reindeer? How did Alaska help commercialize Christmas reindeer? And how much reindeer meat is actually in reindeer sausage?! It's the episode that'll have you planning your next heist!
Alaskan Beer of the Week: Lucky Cat Rice Lager by Devil's Club Brewing Company
Music By: Blackwater Railroad Company [www.blackwaterrailroad.com] and Scott Buckley [https://soundcloud.com/scottbuckley]
Support Us on Patreon: [https://www.patreon.com/thelastfrontier]
