A spot in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
A spot in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
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There's a put in place Florida that designed a twelve-foot-superior monument throughout town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody need to do that?
Nicely, initial off, heroes are tough to search out within this dedicate Florida - the Panhandle cash of scotland - Wausau, residence of much less than five hundred people in the center of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero as you should count on? Nobody else places the possum on the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, again in 1982, Wausau obtained Fed up with getting omitted in the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Every single commit Florida demands a Competition. And never a single set in place Florida includes a Possum Competition. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have by no means attended Washington County, you almost certainly will Assume I am creating this up. For those who have attended Washington County, you can comprehend - and know that is a real story.
Wausau, it proved, had some rather impressive possum politicians in early '80s. Here are certain things they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the extremely very first Saturday in August as Possum Working day in here Florida. That led for the developing from the monument along Condition Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even acquired The usa Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the enjoyable by way of providing the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would've a place to hold its annual Entertaining Day and Possum Festival. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among the other issues, the festival appeals to tons of people per year, and they also locate it irresistible.
Time out for many educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 can do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and shows its unsightly entire body only at night. That is why, In case you are Within the appropriate invest Florida, you can hear possum hunters' puppies baying and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', so it can be simple adequate to capture (or shoot) one.
An inscription around the monument in the guts of Wausau cites the possum's position in offering 'both fur and food items' over the entire generations. It goes onto say: 'Their presence listed here has delivered a resource of nutritious and flavorful meals in standard periods and possesses been A vital guide to human survival when in distress and demanding require.'
Chuckle if you want. The persons of Wausau will laugh along with you - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.