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's a commit Florida that constructed a 12-foot-significant monument for the duration of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone need to do that?
Well, to start with off, heroes are hard to seek out within this devote Florida - the Panhandle cash of scotland- Wausau, property of less than 500 persons for the duration of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero understandably? Nobody else places the possum over a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, final 1982, Wausau obtained sick and exhausted with remaining ignored from the Florida lists of pleasurable, fairs and festivals. Every put in Florida needs a Pageant. Instead of a single spend Florida features a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you've never attended Washington County, you almost certainly will Assume I'm creating this up. When you have frequented Washington County, you are going to comprehend - and know this is a genuine Tale.
Wausau, it proved, had some rather strong possum politicians in early '80s. Allow me to share two factors they attained:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the First Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to your making of your monument along Point out Highway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even acquired America Congress in promoting the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by offering the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would have a area to guidance its yearly Enjoyment Working day and Possum Pageant. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other factors, the Pageant attracts 1000s of persons yearly, they usually like it.
Day out for a several educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum is the same lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will almost certainly do?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and demonstrates its ugly entire body only in the evening. This is exactly why, if you find yourself inside the appropriate dedicate Florida, it is possible to hear possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so it's effortless to hook (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription around the monument in the center of Wausau website cites the possum's role in offering 'both equally fur and food stuff' from the entire centuries. It goes to say: 'Their existence listed here has presented a resource of nutritious and flavorful food in normal times and it has been A necessary support to human survival in times of distress and significant want.'
Snicker if you like. The folks of Wausau will snicker along with you - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.