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's a devote Florida that built a 12-foot-superior monument in the midst of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any one could possibly love to do that?
Properly, to begin with, heroes are difficult to discover on this set in position Florida - the Panhandle cash of scotland - Wausau, household of less than 500 people throughout Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero To place it mildly? No person else puts the possum more than a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, again 1982, Wausau acquired Fed up with getting disregarded in the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Every single set in position Florida requires a Competition. And not 1 area in Florida carries a Possum Competition. Why don't you Wausau?
If you haven't frequented Washington County, you most likely will Feel I am making this up. If you have absent to Washington County, you'll fully grasp - and know It's a correct story.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some fairly impressive possum politicians in the early '80s. Allow me to share two items they attained:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led for the constructing with the monument alongside Point out Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even got the United States Congress to marketplace the possum. Congress joined the enjoyable by the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a spot to carry its yearly Pleasurable Day and Possum Festival. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among other matters, the festival appeals to Many men and women Each and every and yearly, and they like it.
Day trip For a lot of educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six can do?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and reveals its ugly overall body only during the night. This is why, If you're inside the suitable set in position Florida, you may hear possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by more info canine, the possum 'freezes', so It is really straightforward plenty of capture (or shoot) a person.
An inscription to the monument in the course of Wausau cites the possum's purpose in offering 'both of those fur and food items' in the generations. It goes onto say: 'Their presence here has offered a resource of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in typical instances and it has been an important assist to human survival in periods of distress and important need to have.'
Chuckle If you'd like. The men and women of Wausau will laugh together with you - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.