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 is a commit Florida that designed a 12-foot-substantial monument for the duration of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody must do that?
Well, to start with, heroes acquire time and effort to get inside of this location in Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, home of underneath five hundred people for the duration of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero as you'll assume? No one else puts the possum on a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, again 1982, Wausau obtained fed up with currently being omitted with the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Just about every location in Florida requires a festival. Rather than just one put set up Florida has a Possum Competition. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have hardly ever attended Washington County, you almost certainly will Assume I'm causeing this to be up. For those who have attended Washington County, you will realize - and know This may be a real story.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some rather strong possum politicians in early '80s. Listed here are a pair of things they attained:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to your creating during the monument alongside Condition Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even acquired The usa Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by providing the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could have a place to keep its yearly Exciting Day and Possum Competition. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other points, the Pageant attracts A large number of men and women Just about every and annually, and In addition they uncover it irresistible.
Time out for any few educating of Northerners listed here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you contact opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its unpleasant physique only at night. This is why, If you're In the ideal dedicate Florida, you can hear possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', thus it really is not hard to catch (or shoot) 1.
An inscription around the monument in the course of Wausau cites the possum's job in supplying 'each fur and foodstuff' in the course of the total centuries. It goes on say: 'Their presence right click here here has provided a source of nutritious and flavorful foods in regular occasions and has been a crucial help to human survival in situations of distress and significant require.'
Chuckle if you're keen on. The men and women of Wausau will chuckle along with you - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.