An area in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
An area in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
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There's a devote Florida that developed a twelve-foot-high monument in the center of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any person may possibly like to do that?
Very well, to get started with, heroes consider time and effort to return by Within this area in Florida - the Panhandle cash of scotland - Wausau, home of much less than five hundred persons in the middle of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero as you should assume? Nobody else puts the possum to the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, back in 1982, Wausau acquired tired of being ignored in the Florida lists of entertaining, fairs and festivals. Just about every devote Florida demands a Pageant. And not 1 place in Florida carries a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you have not been to Washington County, you almost certainly will Feel I'm creating this up. When you have long gone to Washington County, you'll understand - and know This may be a correct story.
Wausau, it proved, had some fairly strong possum politicians throughout the early '80s. Allow me to share two points they attained:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the main Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That click here led to your constructing With all the monument alongside Point out Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even bought the United States Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the fun by way of providing the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would've a location to support its once-a-year Fun Working day and Possum Competition. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, among the other things, the Competition appeals to Many people Each and every and yearly, and so that they find it irresistible.
Day trip for some educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is analogous lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use seven letters when 6 will complete?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its unappealing physique only at nighttime. This is exactly why, when you are inside the appropriate commit Florida, you may hear possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so it is simple to hook (or shoot) 1.
An inscription to the monument in the midst of Wausau cites the possum's job in supplying 'equally fur and food items' through the centuries. It goes on to say: 'Their existence listed here has offered a useful resource of nutritious and flavorful food items in standard moments and is made up of been an important support to human survival when in distress and significant require.'
Chortle If you need. The folks of Wausau will chortle together with you - although downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.