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 devote Florida that designed a twelve-foot-superior monument for the duration of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any individual need to do that?
Well, to start with off, heroes are hard to search out on this commit Florida - the Panhandle metropolis of Wausau, property of under 500 individuals in the heart of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero to mention the least? No one else places the possum on the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, last 1982, Wausau acquired Sick and tired of currently being overlooked with the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Every single place in position Florida needs a Pageant. And never a single dedicate Florida features a Possum Festival. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have by no means attended Washington County, you probably will Assume I'm making this up. When you have frequented Washington County, you'll understand - and know this is a genuine Tale.
Wausau, it wound up, experienced some pretty strong possum politicians in early '80s. Listed below are some things they completed:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led to your constructing of your monument along Condition Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even got America Congress in marketing the possum. Congress joined the enjoyable by providing the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would have a site to hold its yearly Enjoyment Working day and Possum Competition. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among the check here other things, the festival appeals to A large number of men and women each year, plus they like it.
Day trip for plenty of educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use seven letters when six can perform?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and exhibits its unattractive body only at nighttime. That is why, if you find yourself from the proper dedicate Florida, you can listen to possum hunters' puppies baying and barking. Treed by canines, the possum 'freezes', so it is not so complicated capture (or shoot) one.
An inscription for your monument in the midst of Wausau cites the possum's job in offering 'both equally fur and food' all through the hundreds of years. It goes on to say: 'Their presence here has provided a resource of nutritious and flavorful food items in usual periods and has been a very important assist to human survival much more distress and significant want.'
Snicker if you love. The persons of Wausau will laugh together - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.