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 place in Florida that constructed a twelve-foot-high monument in the guts of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody choose to do that?
Well, to start with, heroes are difficult to return by On this put in Florida - the Panhandle metropolis of Wausau, household of underneath 500 individuals all through Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero to put it mildly? Nobody else places the possum to the pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, again in 1982, Wausau bought Weary of becoming neglected in the Florida lists of entertaining, fairs and festivals. Every place in position Florida requires a festival. Instead of a person place in Florida carries a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you have not attended Washington County, you almost certainly will Imagine I am building this up. If you have been to Washington County, you'll comprehend - and know it is a legitimate story.
Wausau, it turned out, experienced some fairly powerful possum politicians noisy . '80s. Allow me to share a handful of items they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the first Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led towards the making With all the monument along State Highway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even bought The usa Congress to publicize the possum. Congress joined the fun by the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a region to hold its once-a-year Pleasurable Day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among other things, the Competition appeals to tons of folks Each individual and every year, here furthermore they adore it.
Time out for a lot of educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you get in touch with opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its unattractive overall body only at night. This is exactly why, if you find yourself In the suitable invest Florida, it is possible to listen to possum hunters' canines baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', so It will probably be easy sufficient to entice (or shoot) 1.
An inscription with regards to the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's purpose in supplying 'each fur and meals' during the entire centuries. It goes on say: 'Their presence here has furnished an origin of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in typical situations and possesses been an important assist to human survival much more distress and demanding will need.'
Laugh if you like. The men and women of Wausau will snicker along with you - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.