A Place in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum
A Place in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum
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There's a place in position Florida that created a twelve-foot-substantial monument for the duration of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone might love to do that?
Nicely, to begin with, heroes take time and effort to locate with this particular commit Florida - the Panhandle money of scotland - Wausau, household of fewer than five hundred folks in the heart of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero To place it mildly? Nobody else puts the possum on the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, in 1982, Wausau bought Uninterested in staying omitted from the Florida lists of enjoyment, fairs and festivals. Every single place in Florida wants a Pageant. And not a person place in position Florida carries a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you have not visited Washington County, you probably will Imagine I'm causeing this to be up. For those who have been to Washington County, you are going to recognize - and know that is a real story.
Wausau, it ended up, had some quite effective possum politicians in early '80s. Listed here are two matters they achieved:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August click here as Possum Day in Florida. That led to the making from the monument along State Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even obtained the United States Congress to advertise the possum. Congress joined the entertaining through providing the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a site to help its once-a-year Exciting Working day and Possum Festival. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other matters, the Competition attracts Many people yearly, and so they like it.
Outing for just a several educating of Northerners below. The South's possum is the same lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use seven letters when six is going to do?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and exhibits its unappealing overall body only at night. That's why, once you find yourself within appropriate set in position Florida, you can listen to possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so It really is not challenging to capture (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription regarding the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's job in providing 'both fur and food' through the entire centuries. It goes to say: 'Their existence listed here has presented a resource of nutritious and flavorful food items in regular periods and possesses been a major guide to human survival when in distress and significant need to have.'
Giggle if you want. The folks of Wausau will giggle together with you - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.