A spot in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
A spot in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
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There is a position in Florida that constructed a twelve-foot-substantial monument in the center of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any person could love to do that?
Very well, to get started with, heroes are tricky to uncover In this particular place in Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, house of below 500 folks all through Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero as you should be expecting? Nobody else puts the possum with a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, past 1982, Wausau got sick and Sick and tired of being neglected in the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Every single spend Florida demands a Competition. And not one particular commit Florida features a Possum Competition. Why don't you Wausau?
If you haven't visited Washington County, you most likely will Imagine I'm Therefore, creating this up. In case you have been to Washington County, you will understand - and know this can be a legitimate story.
Wausau, it ended up, experienced some quite powerful possum politicians noisy . '80s. Here are two or three items they attained:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the First Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to the developing Using the monument alongside Point out Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even bought The usa Congress to promote the possum. Congress joined the enjoyable by furnishing the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could have an area to hold its once-a-year Enjoyable Working day and Possum Pageant. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among other things, the Pageant attracts A large number of individuals on a yearly basis, and they adore it.
Time out for a great deal of educating here of Northerners in this article. The South's possum could be the identical lowly animal you contact opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six can perform?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and exhibits its ugly body only during the night time. This is exactly why, when you're within ideal commit Florida, you may hear possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so It is not so difficult to catch (or shoot) just one.
An inscription with the monument during Wausau cites the possum's position in providing 'equally fur and food stuff' all through the centuries. It goes on to say: 'Their existence below has delivered a source of nutritious and flavorful meals in normal times and it has been a substantial help to human survival a lot more distress and important want.'
Snicker if you like. The people today of Wausau will laugh together - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.