A spot in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
A spot in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
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There is a place in Florida that developed a twelve-foot-higher monument for the duration of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any person should do that?
Nicely, to start out, heroes are complicated to receive inside of this location in Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, dwelling of under five hundred persons in the course of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero to put it mildly? No person else places the possum over the pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, back in 1982, Wausau bought Unwell and exhausted with staying left out With all the Florida lists of enjoyment, fairs and festivals. Every devote Florida desires a Competition. Rather than just one devote Florida provides a Possum Festival. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have not visited Washington County, you almost certainly will Assume I am generating this up. Should you have gone to Washington County, you are going to have an understanding of - and know this can be a true story.
Wausau, it proved, had some quite highly effective possum politicians in early '80s. Here's certain things they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the really very first Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led for the developing from the monument along Condition Highway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even received the United States Congress to advertise the possum. Congress joined the fun by the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may need a place to aid its once-a-year Fun Working day and Possum Pageant. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other items, the festival appeals to A large number of folks Each and every and each year, as well as they adore it.
Day out for many educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is equivalent lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six can do?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and shows its hideous overall body only in the evening. This is why, after you end up in the correct spot in Florida, you can listen to possum hunters' pet dogs baying and check here barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', therefore it is not so tough to hook (or shoot) just one.
An inscription for your monument in the course of Wausau cites the possum's position in supplying 'both of those fur and foodstuff' in the hundreds of years. It goes on to say: 'Their presence below has supplied a useful resource of nutritious and flavorful meals in usual occasions and incorporates been a significant assist to human survival considerably more distress and important need.'
Laugh if you like. The men and women of Wausau will chortle along - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.