A spot in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum
A spot in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum
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There is a devote Florida that built a twelve-foot-significant monument in the middle of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would everyone could possibly love to do that?
Nicely, initially off, heroes are tricky to exploration on this dedicate Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, dwelling of less than five hundred people in the middle of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero to convey the minimum? No one else puts the possum around the pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, again 1982, Wausau got sick and fatigued with staying left out of the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Just about every place in Florida requires a Pageant. Instead of a single commit Florida includes a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you have not been to Washington County, you probably will Assume I am causeing this to become up. When you've got attended Washington County, you may understand - and know it is a accurate Tale.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some really powerful possum politicians in the course of the early '80s. Here are a few issues they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the more info 1st Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to the setting up from your monument alongside Point out Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even got America Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the entertaining by the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have an area to help keep its annual Enjoyable Working day and Possum Pageant. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other issues, the Competition draws in heaps of individuals annually, and so that they discover it irresistible.
Day trip for some educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum would be the similar lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use seven letters when 6 will probably do?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and reveals its hideous system only at nighttime. This is why, when you end up within the right make investments Florida, you are able to hear possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so it will be effortless to catch (or shoot) one.
An inscription over the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's part in providing 'equally fur and meals' through the total generations. It goes to say: 'Their presence below has provided a source of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in ordinary occasions and includes been an important aid to human survival when in distress and significant need.'
Giggle If you'd like. The folks of Wausau will snicker in addition to you - though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.