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 dedicate Florida that developed a twelve-foot-superior monument in the middle of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any one must do that?
Nicely, to start with off, heroes are hard to acquire with this particular put set up Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, residence of fewer than five hundred persons in the course of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero To place it mildly? No one else places the possum over a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, again 1982, Wausau acquired Fed up with currently being disregarded with the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Just about every spot in Florida would like a Pageant. Rather than just one commit Florida features a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you have under no circumstances been to Washington County, you almost certainly will Consider I am Hence, earning this up. If you have long gone to Washington County, you'll fully grasp - and know It is just a accurate story.
Wausau, it wound up, experienced some very potent possum politicians during the early '80s. Listed here are some things they completed:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the First Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to the setting up of the monument alongside Condition Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even got The usa Congress to marketplace the possum. Congress joined the enjoyable by supplying the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would have a spot to help its yearly Entertaining Working day and Possum Competition. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among other issues, the festival attracts Many folks Each and every and annually, and Additionally they love it.
Time out to get a handful of educating of Northerners listed here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use seven letters when six is going to do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and reveals its hideous entire body only at nighttime. This is exactly why, if you are inside proper spot in Florida, you can listen to possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', thus it is not so difficult to hook (or shoot) 1.
An inscription about the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's purpose in furnishing 'each fur and meals' in the entire centuries. It goes to say: 'Their presence right here has supplied an origin of nutritious and flavorful food items in standard situations and possesses been a vital assist to human survival far more distress here and critical need to have.'
Snicker for those who'd prefer. The persons of Wausau will laugh alongside - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.