A Place in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum
A Place in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum
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There's a place in place Florida that developed a twelve-foot-significant monument in the midst of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any individual should do that?
Effectively, to begin with, heroes are tough to come back by within just this set set up Florida - the Panhandle money of scotland - Wausau, dwelling of less than 500 folks in the middle of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero to state the minimum? Nobody else places the possum with a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, again in 1982, Wausau received sick and weary with currently being overlooked in the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Just about every invest Florida demands a festival. And not 1 put in place Florida features a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you haven't gone to Washington County, you almost certainly will think I'm making this up. Should you have been to Washington County, you may realize - and know this can be a correct Tale.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some fairly highly effective possum politicians in the course of the early '80s. Here are two points they attained:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the first Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led into the setting up Along with the monument alongside Point out Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even received America Congress to current market the possum. Congress joined the exciting by supplying the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would've a locale to aid its annual Enjoyable Day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other points, the Competition draws in lots of people on a yearly basis, and so that they discover it irresistible.
Day trip for your handful of educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is the identical lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will accomplish?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and reveals its unsightly system only at nighttime. This is why, while you are within correct dedicate Florida, you may listen to possum hunters' canines baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', for that reason it is quick to capture (or shoot) just one.
An inscription throughout the monument in the midst of Wausau cites the possum's position in supplying 'the two fur and food stuff' over the whole generations. It goes on to say: 'Their presence listed here has furnished a useful resource of nutritious and flavorful food stuff in regular instances click here and possesses been A necessary aid to human survival in the course of times of distress and significant will need.'
Chuckle If you would like. The people today of Wausau will snicker together with you - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.