A location in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
A location in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
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There's a place in place Florida that designed a 12-foot-higher monument during town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would everyone may possibly love to do that?
Well, to start out, heroes are difficult to research on this dedicate Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, property of under five hundred persons in the center of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero to state the minimum? No person else puts the possum around a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, again in 1982, Wausau received Ill and Weary of being disregarded from the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Each individual place in position Florida demands a Pageant. Rather than one spend Florida carries a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you have never frequented Washington County, you almost certainly will Assume I am building this up. Should you have attended Washington County, you can expect to have an understanding of - and know This can be the real Tale.
Wausau, it turned out, experienced some very effective possum politicians in early '80s. Here i will discuss a set of items they achieved:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led into the making With all the monument alongside Point out Highway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even obtained the United States Congress to advertise the possum. Congress joined the fun by offering the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might need a spot to help keep its annual Enjoyment Day and Possum Pageant. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, between other factors, the festival attracts 1000s of men and women Every single and yearly, and Additionally they locate it irresistible.
Time out for a couple educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you contact opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will probably do?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and reveals its unpleasant overall body only at night. That's why, if you're within proper devote Florida, you'll be able to listen to possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so It truly is not so tricky to lure (or shoot) just one.
An inscription for that monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's part in delivering 'both equally fur and food items' through the entire hundreds check here of years. It goes to say: 'Their existence right here has provided an origin of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in ordinary moments and it has been a substantial assist to human survival in periods of distress and significant have to have.'
Laugh in case you'd choose. The individuals of Wausau will chuckle alongside - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.