A Place in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum
A Place in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum
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There is a location in Florida that built a 12-foot-superior monument in the heart of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any one desire to perform that?
Well, to start with, heroes are difficult to seek out on this area in Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, household of lower than 500 persons in the center of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero To place it mildly? Nobody else puts the possum within the pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, again in 1982, Wausau obtained Fed up with currently being left out with the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Each and every put set up Florida needs a festival. Instead of a person dedicate Florida incorporates a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you have not frequented Washington County, you most likely will Believe I'm creating this up. If you have attended Washington County, you'll fully grasp - and know this is a accurate story.
Wausau, it ended up, experienced some quite highly effective possum politicians in the early '80s. Here's a set of matters they achieved:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the quite 1st Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led on the constructing within the monument alongside Point out Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even got The usa Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could have an area to maintain 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 year, and so that they come across it irresistible.
Trip for some educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you phone opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six can perform?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and demonstrates its unpleasant system only at night. This is exactly why, after you end up while in the proper location in Florida, you may hear possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by canines, the possum 'freezes', therefore it truly is not so tough seize (or shoot) a single.
An inscription to the monument in the guts of Wausau cites the possum's purpose in supplying 'both of those fur and food items' all through the centuries. It goes on to say: 'Their presence below has provided a supply of nutritious and flavorful food in typical periods and it has been a significant help to human survival in times of distress and important need.'
Laugh if you like. The here persons of Wausau will chortle along - though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.