A Place in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
A Place in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
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There's a devote Florida that developed a twelve-foot-higher monument in the heart of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would everyone wish to do that?
Effectively, to get started with, heroes are challenging to seek out using this devote Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, dwelling of under 500 persons in the course of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero to put it mildly? No person else places the possum to the pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, previous 1982, Wausau bought Ill and Weary of currently being left out with the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Every single dedicate Florida desires a festival. Instead of just one set in position Florida features a Possum Pageant. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have not attended Washington County, you most likely will think I'm causeing this to generally be up. When you've got visited Washington County, you can expect to recognize - and know It's a legitimate Tale.
Wausau, it wound up, had some very powerful possum politicians over the early '80s. Here are a pair of things they completed:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led into the setting up through the monument together Point out Freeway 77 in Wausau.
They even obtained The us Congress to current market the possum. Congress joined the pleasurable by the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would have a place to maintain its yearly Exciting Working day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, amid other items, the Pageant draws in a lot of folks Each individual and every year, and they like it.
Day out For lots of educating of Northerners below. The South's possum is comparable lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use seven letters when six can do?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and shows its get more info unattractive system only during the night time. This is why, if you're throughout the right devote Florida, it is possible to hear possum hunters' puppies baying and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', so it can be basic adequate to trap (or shoot) just one.
An inscription around the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's role in providing 'both fur and food items' over the whole hundreds of years. It goes on to say: 'Their presence below has provided a supply of nutritious and flavorful food in usual times and it's got been an essential aid to human survival when in distress and demanding have to have.'
Chuckle If you'd like. The men and women of Wausau will chortle in conjunction with you - though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.