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About Us
Seward has long been a favorite destination for sport fishing, glacier and whale watching expeditions, sailing, hiking, kayaking, and simply enjoying its spectacular setting at the base of the mountains surrounding the fjord that encloses Resurrection Bay. While lodging options have improved in recent years, we felt that offering our house and apartment/suite would provide a comfortable, home-like respite where families or small groups could relax, prepare meals, and have a centrally located base from which to explore all the possibilities for indoor and outdoor recreation that Seward has to offer.
Marathon Terrace derives its
name from Mount Marathon, which rises 3,022 feet above Resurrection
Bay, just to the west of our location. The name 'Marathon' comes from the Mt. Marathon Race, which is
held every 4th of July. The story of the mountain's name, and
the race, follows:
From the Seward
Chamber of Commerce website:
The tradition of the Mt. Marathon Race, according to folklore, began when two sourdoughs had an argument about whether it was possible to climb and descend the mountain in less than one hour.
"Impossible" one said, and to settle the argument and the resulting wager it was decided to hold a race with the loser to furnish drinks for the crowd.
At the same time, enterprising merchants put up a suit of clothes and other attractions for the winner and proposed the race take place on a holiday - why not the 4th of July?
The optimistic sourdough lost his bet. The winning racer took one hour and two minutes. Official records disclose that the Mt. Marathon Race actually began as an organized run in 1915 and has since become a regular part of the Independence Day celebration in Seward.
The tradition of the Mt. Marathon Race, according to folklore, began when two sourdoughs had an argument about whether it was possible to climb and descend the mountain in less than one hour.
"Impossible" one said, and to settle the argument and the resulting wager it was decided to hold a race with the loser to furnish drinks for the crowd.
At the same time, enterprising merchants put up a suit of clothes and other attractions for the winner and proposed the race take place on a holiday - why not the 4th of July?
The optimistic sourdough lost his bet. The winning racer took one hour and two minutes. Official records disclose that the Mt. Marathon Race actually began as an organized run in 1915 and has since become a regular part of the Independence Day celebration in Seward.
And the following, from our good friend and local expert Colleen Kelly:
When the race first started, it was described as a “mountain marathon.” Eventually the mountain’s name was changed from Lowell Mountain to Mount Marathon. The race route is about 3.5 miles, starting in downtown Seward and traveling up the 3,022-foot peak and back to downtown Seward. The course record of 43 minutes, 23 seconds was set in 1981 by Bill Spencer.
When the race first started, it was described as a “mountain marathon.” Eventually the mountain’s name was changed from Lowell Mountain to Mount Marathon. The race route is about 3.5 miles, starting in downtown Seward and traveling up the 3,022-foot peak and back to downtown Seward. The course record of 43 minutes, 23 seconds was set in 1981 by Bill Spencer.