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 dedicate Florida that built a 12-foot-high monument in the middle of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any person need to do that?
Properly, to start with off, heroes just take effort and time to study on this invest Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, property of below five hundred people in the middle of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero to say the minimum? No person else puts the possum using a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, again 1982, Wausau obtained sick and drained with becoming disregarded while in the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Each and every place in position Florida desires a Pageant. Rather than a single place in Florida carries a Possum Competition. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have not frequented Washington County, you probably will Imagine I'm generating this up. If you have attended Washington County, you can have an understanding of - and know This may be a true Tale.
Wausau, it turned out, experienced some quite potent possum politicians over the early '80s. Here are two issues they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led into the constructing while in the monument together Point out Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even received The us Congress to publicize the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by way of giving the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have an area to aid its once-a-year Pleasurable Working day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among the other matters, the Competition draws in A huge number of folks Just about every and each and every year, additionally they come across it irresistible.
Day out for many educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum is analogous lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and reveals its unsightly overall body only during the night. That is why, In case you are In the ideal place click here in Florida, you are able to hear possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', so it's not so tough seize (or shoot) just one.
An inscription for your monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's part in providing 'both equally fur and foods' in the hundreds of years. It goes on to say: 'Their presence here has supplied a source of nutritious and flavorful food stuff in typical periods and it has been a vital aid to human survival far more distress and demanding need to have.'
Chortle If you need. The people today of Wausau will laugh along with you - although downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.