A spot in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum
A spot in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum
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There is a place in place Florida that designed a 12-foot-high monument in the center of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody may possibly love to do that?
Nicely, to start out, heroes are complicated to search out in this area in Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, household of fewer than five hundred individuals in the center of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero to state the least? Nobody else places the possum which has a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, in 1982, Wausau acquired fed up with staying neglected while in the Florida lists of entertaining, fairs and festivals. Each and every devote Florida wants a festival. And not just one make investments Florida contains a Possum Festival. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have not been to Washington County, you almost certainly will think I am producing this up. When you've got been to Washington County, you will realize - and know It's really a real story.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some very effective possum politicians noisy . '80s. Here's a couple of factors they achieved:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to your building on the monument alongside Condition Highway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even check here bought America Congress to current market the possum. Congress joined the fun via giving the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would have a location to carry its yearly Enjoyable Day and Possum Competition. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, amid other things, the Pageant draws in tons of individuals Each and every and annually, they usually love it.
Outing For most educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use seven letters when six is going to do?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and reveals its unattractive overall body only at nighttime. That's why, if you are throughout the suitable devote Florida, you can hear possum hunters' canines baying and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', thus it's not hard to capture (or shoot) a single.
An inscription to the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's part in giving 'both of those fur and food' throughout the full hundreds of years. It goes to say: 'Their presence in this article has presented a useful resource of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in normal periods and has been an important support to human survival when in distress and critical want.'
Giggle if you prefer. The men and women of Wausau will chortle along - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.