In 1898, attempting to eliminate the debt plaguing the university, PLU's first president Bjug Harstad and Otis Larson left for Alaska to search for gold. They spent one and a half years living in tents in subzero weather, dragging 3,000 pounds of gear by sleigh and traveling in a handmade boat through lakes and streams looking for gold to help secure PLU's future. However, no gold was found.

The only legacy of the Alaska trip is a rack of moose horns given to President Harstad by a Dr. Lee of La Crosse, Wis., who shot the moose near the Klondike River. The moose horns have a spread of over 5 feet with 14 points. After many years in the university archives, the horns now hang above the fireplace in the Nesvig Alumni Center. We invite you to stop by and see this amazing piece of PLU history.