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 place in position Florida that constructed a 12-foot-significant monument throughout town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any one ought to do that?
Very well, first off, heroes are tough to return by With this position in Florida - the Panhandle capital of scotland - Wausau, house of a lot less than 500 individuals throughout Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero to put it mildly? No person else puts the possum in excess of a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, again 1982, Wausau acquired Ill and Sick and tired of currently being disregarded While using the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Each and every spend Florida wants a Competition. And never just one devote Florida features a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you've got by no means been to Washington County, you most likely will Assume I'm So, earning this up. Should you have long gone to Washington County, you can expect to understand - and know this can be a real Tale.
Wausau, it proved, had some very effective possum politicians in the early '80s. Here's two or three matters they achieved:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to the developing Along with the monument along State Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even obtained The us Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the fun by the funds for Wausau's read more Possum Palace so Wausau may have a location to carry its yearly Pleasurable Day and Possum Competition. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other items, the Competition draws in many people annually, and In addition they like it.
Day trip for a couple educating of Northerners below. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you get in touch with opossum, (Why use seven letters when six can perform?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and exhibits its hideous entire body only at nighttime. This is why, any time you find yourself during the appropriate devote Florida, you'll be able to listen to possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so it is effortless to hook (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription around the monument in the midst of Wausau cites the possum's function in giving 'both of those fur and foods' in the centuries. It goes on to say: 'Their presence listed here has offered a useful resource of nutritious and flavorful food stuff in ordinary situations and it has been A necessary assist to human survival in situations of distress and important want.'
Snicker if you like. The persons of Wausau will laugh with you - although downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.