A Place in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
A Place in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
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There is a commit Florida that constructed a twelve-foot-high monument all through city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone might love to do that?
Properly, to begin with, heroes consider effort and time to obtain on this place in Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, residence of fewer than 500 folks in the center of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero to put it mildly? No one else places the possum that has a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, back in 1982, Wausau received Unwell and tired of becoming ignored within the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Just about every commit Florida needs a Pageant. Rather than 1 commit Florida features a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you have not frequented Washington County, you probably will think I'm causeing this to generally be up. For those who have frequented Washington County, you'll realize - and know It's a true story.
Wausau, it ended up, experienced some fairly strong possum politicians in early '80s. Here are two issues they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the extremely to start with Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led on the creating of the monument along Condition Highway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even received America Congress to advertise the possum. Congress joined the pleasurable by offering the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a website spot to keep its once-a-year Enjoyable Working day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, between other issues, the Competition draws in thousands of folks each year, and they also adore it.
Time out for many educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum is comparable lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will almost certainly do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and shows its ugly human body only during the night. This is why, When you are inside the appropriate spend Florida, you could listen to possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', so It will probably be easy sufficient capture (or shoot) one.
An inscription to the monument in the course of Wausau cites the possum's purpose in supplying 'the two fur and foodstuff' through the total centuries. It goes on to say: 'Their presence right here has delivered a supply of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in typical instances and it has been A necessary assistance to human survival a lot more distress and important need to have.'
Giggle if you like. The folks of Wausau will laugh along - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.