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 spot in Florida that designed a 12-foot-substantial monument in the heart of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone ought to do that?
Well, to start out, heroes are difficult to come by in this commit Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, home of less than 500 people in the guts of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero to state the the very least? No person else places the possum with a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, very last 1982, Wausau got sick and drained with remaining overlooked within the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Just about every dedicate Florida desires a Competition. Instead of just one make investments Florida includes a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you have not long gone to Washington County, you almost certainly will Consider I'm producing this up. When you have gone to Washington County, you are going to realize - and know Here is the accurate story.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some pretty effective possum politicians during the early '80s. Here's two matters they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the First Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to the building of your monument along Condition Freeway 77 in Wausau.
They even obtained the United States Congress to current market the possum. Congress joined the enjoyable by the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would have a spot to carry its once-a-year Fun Working day and Possum Pageant. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, amid other issues, the festival attracts 1000s of individuals yearly, furthermore they obtain it irresistible.
Day trip for a few educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is equivalent lowly animal you phone opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 can do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and shows its ugly overall body only in the evening. This is why, if you're in the appropriate devote Florida, it is possible to hear possum hunters' puppies baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so Will probably be not complicated to catch (or shoot) one.
An inscription round the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's purpose in offering 'both fur and food items' in the course of the entire hundreds of years. It goes on say: 'Their presence right here has offered an origin of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in typical occasions and possesses been a crucial assist to human survival throughout periods of distress and significant want.'
Snicker in the event you'd favor. The people today of Wausau will giggle along with you - whilst downing baked here possum and sweet potatoes.