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's a devote Florida that crafted a 12-foot-large monument in the course of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone need to do that?
Effectively, initially off, heroes just take time and effort to exploration on this commit Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, dwelling of beneath 500 folks all through Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero as you'll expect? Nobody else puts the possum with a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, again 1982, Wausau obtained fed up with staying omitted of your Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Each devote Florida requirements a festival. And not just one set in position Florida incorporates a Possum Competition. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have not gone to Washington County, you almost certainly will Consider I am Hence, earning this up. When you have attended Washington County, you are going to realize - and know this can be a real Tale.
Wausau, it ended up, had some pretty impressive possum politicians within the early '80s. Here's a set of items they completed:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the primary Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led on the making within the monument along State Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even obtained America Congress to market place the possum. Congress joined the exciting by supplying the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a spot to keep its yearly Exciting Day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among other issues, the festival attracts Lots of individuals yearly, and they also locate it irresistible.
Day trip for some educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum is identical lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use seven letters when 6 is going to do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and reveals its ugly overall body only during the night. This is exactly why, For anyone who is inside proper location in Florida, you can hear possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', so It really is uncomplicated enough seize (or shoot) a person.
An inscription throughout the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's purpose in furnishing 'both fur and food stuff' over the entire hundreds of years. It goes to say: 'Their existence below has offered a resource of nutritious and flavorful foods in normal times and it's been a vital aid to human survival in periods of more info distress and significant will need.'
Chortle if you want. The people today of Wausau will snicker along with you - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.