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 is a devote Florida that crafted a 12-foot-substantial monument in the center of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone desire to perform that?
Nicely, 1st off, heroes take effort and time to investigation on this devote Florida - the Panhandle capital of scotland - Wausau, household of much less than 500 individuals in the guts 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 about the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, again in 1982, Wausau obtained Ill and weary with becoming omitted within the Florida lists of enjoyment, fairs and festivals. Every location in Florida would like a festival. And never one devote Florida carries a Possum Pageant. Why don't you Wausau?
If you haven't attended Washington County, you probably will Imagine I am building this up. Should you have been to Washington County, you may recognize - and know It is just a true Tale.
Wausau, it turned out, experienced some fairly powerful possum politicians over the early '80s. Listed below are two issues they achieved:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led into the setting up from the monument alongside Point out Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even obtained the United States Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may need a place to assistance its once-a-year Enjoyable Working day and Possum Pageant. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, amid other items, the Competition appeals to Many folks each and every year, and they also find it irresistible.
Time out For lots of educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will execute?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and reveals its unsightly human body only during the night time. That's why, when you're in the appropriate devote Florida, you may hear possum hunters' canines baying and barking. Treed by canines, the possum 'freezes', so it truly is easy to hook (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription about the monument in the course of Wausau cites the possum's job in delivering 'each fur and food stuff' read more through the hundreds of years. It goes on to say: 'Their existence here has presented a resource of nutritious and flavorful foods in ordinary occasions and it has been an essential assist to human survival when in distress and important have to have.'
Snicker If you would like. The folks of Wausau will chortle in addition to you - though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.