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 devote Florida that built a 12-foot-substantial monument in the middle of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any person may well like to do that?
Very well, to start with off, heroes are tough to investigate on this commit Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, house of much less than 500 people in the middle of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero understandably? Nobody else places the possum with a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, past 1982, Wausau received tired of becoming disregarded from the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Every single commit Florida wishes a Competition. Instead of 1 dedicate Florida carries a Possum Festival. Why don't you Wausau?
If you've got never visited Washington County, you almost certainly will Feel I am causeing this to get up. Should you have attended Washington County, you can expect to have an understanding of - and know This can be the correct Tale.
Wausau, it ended up, experienced some rather effective possum politicians in the early '80s. Allow me to share two or three points they achieved:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to your developing in the monument along State Highway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even acquired America Congress to marketplace the possum. Congress joined the enjoyable by the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau can have a area to maintain its yearly Enjoyment Working day and Possum Competition. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other issues, the Competition draws in 1000s of men and women Every single and every year, and In addition they like it.
Outing For most educating of Northerners below. The South's possum is the same lowly animal you phone opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will do?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and displays its ugly body only during the night. That is why, if you are inside the proper set in position Florida, you could hear possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so It is really not tough to hook (or shoot) a single.
An inscription for your monument during Wausau cites the possum's part in giving 'both fur and food' with the entire centuries. It goes on to say: 'Their presence listed here has furnished a source of nutritious and flavorful food items in usual moments and it has been a vital help to human survival when in distress and critical have to have.'
Chuckle in the event you'd prefer. The people today check here of Wausau will chuckle together - although downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.