A spot in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum
A spot in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum
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There's a place in Florida that designed a twelve-foot-high monument in the middle of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone want to do that?
Nicely, to start, heroes take effort and time for getting Within this commit Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, residence of underneath five hundred folks for the duration of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero to mention the the very least? No one else puts the possum in excess of a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, again 1982, Wausau acquired Unwell and weary with being overlooked inside the Florida lists of enjoyment, fairs and festivals. Every place set up Florida desires a festival. Rather than one particular spot in Florida features a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you have by no means been to Washington County, you probably will Consider I'm Consequently, making this up. When you've got absent to Washington County, you can expect to comprehend - and know This may be a legitimate story.
Wausau, it turned out, had some pretty powerful possum politicians inside the early '80s. Here i will discuss two factors they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led towards the developing with the monument together Point out Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even received the United States Congress to promote the possum. Congress joined the enjoyable by website the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a area to guidance its annual Enjoyable Working day and Possum Festival. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, amid other factors, the Pageant attracts Many individuals Every single and every year, and so that they love it.
Outing for many educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum is identical lowly animal you phone opossum, (Why use seven letters when 6 will do?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and shows its ugly body only at night. This is exactly why, Should you be while in the right make investments Florida, it is possible to listen to possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so It truly is not so difficult to hook (or shoot) a single.
An inscription throughout the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's part in supplying 'both fur and foodstuff' all through the generations. It goes on to say: 'Their presence right here has delivered a supply of nutritious and flavorful foods in ordinary occasions and has been a crucial aid to human survival considerably more distress and significant need to have.'
Giggle If you'd like. The people today of Wausau will chortle together with you - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.