An area in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum
An area in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum
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There is a place in Florida that created a 12-foot-higher monument through town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any individual could possibly like to do that?
Very well, to start with, heroes are tricky to obtain In this particular put in Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, residence of fewer than five hundred folks in the middle of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero as you should expect? Nobody else places the possum on the pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, past 1982, Wausau bought sick and Bored with currently being overlooked through the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Every set set up Florida needs a Pageant. And never just one location in Florida contains a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you've got by no means attended Washington County, you most likely will Assume I'm causeing this for being up. When you've got attended Washington County, you'll have an understanding of - and know This may be a legitimate story.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some quite potent possum politicians during the early '80s. Allow me to share some things they attained:
They more info persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the incredibly very first Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led into the creating during the monument together Point out Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even got the United States Congress to publicize the possum. Congress joined the enjoyable through furnishing the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would've an area to keep its once-a-year Exciting Working day and Possum Festival. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, among other matters, the Pageant appeals to lots of individuals Each and every and on a yearly basis, in addition they adore it.
Time out for plenty of educating of Northerners listed here. The South's possum will be the identical lowly animal you get in touch with opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and displays its hideous overall body only in the evening. This is exactly why, when you're in the ideal commit Florida, you'll be able to listen to possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', hence it really is not so complicated to entice (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription across the monument for the duration of Wausau cites the possum's function in supplying 'both fur and meals' in the overall centuries. It goes onto say: 'Their existence right here has provided a supply of nutritious and flavorful food items in typical times and it's been a crucial assist to human survival far more distress and demanding will need.'
Snicker for those who'd prefer. The people today of Wausau will laugh along with you - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.