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 commit Florida that crafted a twelve-foot-significant monument in the midst of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone might like to do that?
Properly, to start, heroes are difficult to acquire on this devote Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, property of fewer than five hundred people through Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero To place it mildly? No one else puts the possum within the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, in 1982, Wausau acquired Bored with being neglected Using the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Each and every put in position Florida demands a Competition. Instead of 1 area in Florida provides a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you haven't attended Washington County, you most likely will Imagine I'm making this up. When you've got absent to Washington County, you are going to comprehend - and know this can be a true Tale.
Wausau, it proved, had some very impressive possum politicians throughout the early '80s. Here i will discuss two points they attained:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the quite initially Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led into the constructing during the monument together Condition Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even got America Congress to marketplace the possum. Congress joined the enjoyable by means of supplying the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would've a location to hold its once-a-year Enjoyable Working day and Possum Pageant. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, between other matters, the festival draws in many people each and every year, and so that they find it irresistible.
Trip for many educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum is analogous lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six can do?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and exhibits its unpleasant overall body only during the night. That is why, if you are inside the suitable put set up Florida, you may hear possum hunters' puppies baying and barking. Treed by canines, the possum 'freezes', so it can be not difficult capture (or shoot) a single.
An inscription round the monument during Wausau cites the possum's position in offering 'both fur and foods' through the generations. It goes to say: 'Their existence right here has supplied an click here origin of nutritious and flavorful food stuff in regular times and it has been a big guide to human survival way more distress and demanding will need.'
Chuckle if you want. The men and women of Wausau will laugh along with you - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.