• Seward Alaska Holiday Ornament, Mount Marathon Shoe, Crystal Glass Ornament Hanging on a Christmas Tree
  • Seward Alaska Holiday Ornament, Mount Marathon Shoe, Crystal Glass Ornament Hanging on White
  • Seward Alaska Holiday Ornament, Mount Marathon Shoe, Crystal Glass Ornament in Gold Gift Box
  • Seward Alaska Holiday Ornament, Mount Marathon Shoe, Crystal Glass Ornament in White Gift Box
1 4

Seward Alaska Holiday Ornament - Mount Marathon Shoe

Seward Alaska Holiday Ornament - Mount Marathon Shoe

$28.00 USD
$28.00 USD
Sale
Free U.S. Shipping
Size
Shape


A mud-caked trail shoe with the laces undone, a red race bib tucked underneath, and the bare mountain it just came down rising behind. The Fourth of July in Seward.

The Mount Marathon race has run every July 4 since 1915: from downtown to the 3,022-foot summit and back, straight up and straight down, on a course of scree, mud and cliff. The fastest finish in under 45 minutes. Most runners come back bloodied, and the whole town lines the street to watch them do it.

The race began as a bet in a bar, which locals consider the right way for a race to begin. The shoes rarely survive the day.

A town that celebrates the Fourth by running up a mountain is a town worth an ornament. The race bib is the one bit of color, and the shoe tells the rest.

The Mount Marathon race runs straight up and down the mountain every Seward 4th of July, the hardest mountain race in Alaska. This running ornament is an Alaska ornament for anyone who has run Mount Marathon or watched from the street, a piece of Seward, Alaska history.

Every Seward ornament ships ready to give. Hang it on the tree, in a window, off a lamp, or send one to the person who misses Seward most.

3-inch faceted crystal glass ornament, white-backed print, line-drawn in 1880s engraving style, your choice of white or gold gift box.


QUICK FACTS — SEWARD AK CRYSTAL ORNAMENT — MOUNT MARATHON SHOE

Town: Seward, Alaska

Founded: Aug 28, 1903; incorporated 1912

Known for: Mile 0 of the Iditarod Trail; the Alaska Railroad’s ocean terminus; gateway to Kenai Fjords; the Mount Marathon Race

Art: Mount Marathon Shoe, original Merlin Classics engraving

Blank: 3-inch (76 mm) round clear crystal glass ornament, faceted gem-cut edge

Print: white-backed for contrast; red ribbon hanger

Packaging: white or gold gift box, chosen at checkout

Made to order in the USA



View full details

Wear Local. Feed Local. Stay Classic.

Product FAQs

How does your sizing work?

Every item is made to order, so please check the size chart on this page before you buy. Women's fitted tees run small; size up for a looser fit. Caps are one size with an adjustable strap.

How are items made and when will they arrive?

We make each item to order using premium blanks, embroidery and soft-hand prints. Production takes 2-5 business days (weekends and holidays excluded), then 4-10 days in transit via USPS, UPS or FedEx to U.S. addresses; most orders arrive within 6-15 business days. You'll get a tracking link the moment it ships. Any current shipping offer is shown in the bar at the top of every page and applies automatically at checkout, no code needed.

How do I send a gift?

Enter the recipient's address as the shipping address and your own as the billing address at checkout. Nothing ships with a price; the package includes a plain packing slip. Tracking goes to your email, not theirs. For birthdays and holidays, order two weeks ahead to be safe.

What's the return policy?

Made-to-order items can't be returned or exchanged for size or color, so please use the size chart and photos before ordering. If anything arrives defective, misprinted or damaged, send a photo and your order number within 30 days and we'll replace it or refund you.

How do I care for my item?

Apparel: wash cold, inside out, with like colors; no bleach; tumble dry low or hang dry. Embroidered pieces: iron inside out to protect the stitching. Caps: spot clean. Printed glasses and water bottles: hand wash only, no dishwasher, so the artwork lasts. Mugs and engraved glasses are dishwasher safe. Any item-specific care notes are in the description above.

Who makes this?

Merlin Classics is a small Connecticut brand making original retro designs for the towns people love. Every piece is printed, embroidered or engraved to order in the USA, and the business supports hunger relief in the communities our collections celebrate.

More From Crystal Glass Ornaments

All Crystal Glass Ornaments Items

Now the wild coast that built Seward draws the world to it. The town is the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park — day-boats run out of the harbor past tidewater glaciers, whales, and seabird cliffs, and Exit Glacier and the vast Harding Icefield sit just west of downtown. The Alaska SeaLife Center stands on the waterfront, the brutal Mount Marathon Race charges up the peak behind town every Fourth of July, and the Silver Salmon Derby fills the small-boat harbor each August. A working port became a basecamp for the wild.

It was also the start of a famous trail. When gold was struck in the Iditarod country in 1908, Seward became the winter port for the new gold fields, and the Alaska Road Commission surveyed and marked a route from here clear to Nome. Over the Iditarod Trail moved thousands of stampeders and tons of gold, mail, and supplies, hauled by dog team through the snow until the 1920s. Today the Mile 0 marker stands on Seward's waterfront: this is where Alaska's only National Historic Trail begins.

Why People Visit Seward

Seward blends marine science with glacier access and harbor life. Visitors mix easy waterfront walks with boat tours, public art, and museums, all beneath the mountains. It is dramatic, friendly, and photogenic, with year-round appeal in its parks, paths, and public spaces. Frontier railroad history and the wild coast sit side by side here — history and everyday Alaska life together in a welcoming way.

Seward Alaska Merlin Classics retro logo — Alaska bear, Alaska Territory Est. 1959