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 is a devote Florida that designed a twelve-foot-higher monument for the duration of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody would like to do that?
Properly, to start with, heroes are difficult to come back by With this place in place Florida - the Panhandle metropolis of Wausau, household of lower than 500 persons in the middle of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero as you would probably assume? Nobody else puts the possum to the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, back 1982, Wausau obtained fed up with becoming disregarded in the Florida lists of enjoyment, fairs and festivals. Just about every devote Florida demands a Competition. Instead of a single spend Florida features a Possum Festival. Why don't you Wausau?
If you haven't attended Washington County, you most likely will Assume I'm generating this up. When you have been to Washington County, you are going to realize - and know It is just a accurate story.
Wausau, it turned out, had some very highly effective possum politicians in the course of the early '80s. Listed below are a set of points they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the primary Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to your constructing from the monument along Point out Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even received the United States Congress in advertising the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would have a location to carry its annual Entertaining Day and Possum Pageant. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among other points, the festival appeals to Lots of people on a yearly basis, and so that read more they find it irresistible.
Day out For most educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you get in touch with opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six will complete?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and exhibits its hideous overall body only during the night time. This is exactly why, when you are within the suitable devote Florida, you could listen to possum hunters' canines baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so it can be quick to hook (or shoot) one.
An inscription on the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's role in giving 'equally fur and meals' throughout the hundreds of years. It goes onto say: 'Their presence below has supplied a source of nutritious and flavorful food in ordinary times and incorporates been a substantial support to human survival in the course of situations of distress and critical need to have.'
Giggle in the event you'd like. The persons of Wausau will snicker along with you - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.