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's a place set up Florida that created a twelve-foot-higher monument in the middle of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would everyone really need to do that?
Nicely, 1st off, heroes are hard to investigation using this type of spend Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, dwelling of below five hundred persons in the midst of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero understandably? Nobody else places the possum on the pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, last 1982, Wausau obtained Unwell and tired with being omitted inside the Florida lists of enjoyment, fairs and festivals. Every single devote Florida wants a Pageant. And not one devote Florida features a Possum Festival. Why don't you Wausau?
If you've in no way attended Washington County, you almost certainly will think I'm building this up. Should you have visited Washington County, you may comprehend - and know this can be a true story.
Wausau, it turned out, had some pretty potent possum politicians in early '80s. Listed here are a set of factors they completed:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the extremely initially Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to your creating get more info of the monument along Condition Highway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even received America Congress to market place the possum. Congress joined the entertaining as a result of offering the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may have a place to carry its once-a-year Enjoyment Working day and Possum Pageant. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other issues, the Competition draws in A lot of people each year, and so they love it.
Trip for your handful of educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six can do?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and reveals its unpleasant system only during the night. This is why, when you find yourself inside the proper commit Florida, you could hear possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by canines, the possum 'freezes', so it's not so challenging to lure (or shoot) just one.
An inscription to the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's role in offering 'both fur and food stuff' from the centuries. It goes on say: 'Their existence in this article has furnished a resource of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in usual moments and has been A vital assist to human survival in instances of distress and critical will need.'
Chuckle If you need. The men and women of Wausau will giggle coupled with you - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.