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 make investments Florida that built a 12-foot-high monument through town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone could possibly like to do that?
Nicely, to start with, heroes are challenging to investigation on this area in Florida - the Panhandle metropolis of Wausau, property of under 500 people in the center of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero understandably? Nobody else puts the possum on the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, back 1982, Wausau bought Bored with remaining left out within the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Just about every put set up Florida needs a Pageant. And never one particular invest Florida carries a Possum Pageant. Why don't you Wausau?
If you've got never frequented Washington County, you most likely will Believe I'm producing this up. When you've got attended Washington County, you will comprehend - and know It is just a true story.
Wausau, it ended up, had some really effective possum politicians throughout the early '80s. Here i will discuss two items they completed:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the really first Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to the constructing With all the monument together State Highway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even got The usa Congress in advertising and marketing the possum. Congress joined the enjoyable by offering the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might need a locale to keep its yearly Exciting Day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among other factors, the Pageant attracts Many people on a yearly basis, moreover they like it.
Trip For most educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is equivalent lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use 7 website letters when six will do?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and demonstrates its unappealing system only in the evening. That is why, once you find yourself In the right devote Florida, you'll be able to listen to possum hunters' puppies baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', so It is uncomplicated to trap (or shoot) a person.
An inscription about the monument all through Wausau cites the possum's position in providing 'equally fur and food items' throughout the hundreds of years. It goes to say: 'Their presence right here has offered a source of nutritious and flavorful food stuff in normal times and consists of been a crucial assist to human survival all through times of distress and critical will need.'
Chuckle if you want. The individuals of Wausau will snicker along with you - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.