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 dedicate Florida that developed a 12-foot-substantial monument in the course of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would everyone might like to do that?
Properly, to start with, heroes are challenging to come by inside this commit Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, property of beneath five hundred individuals in the middle of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero as you would probably assume? No person else places the possum in excess of a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, last 1982, Wausau acquired Sick and tired of currently being neglected from the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Each devote Florida needs a festival. Rather than a single place set up Florida carries a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you haven't frequented Washington County, you most likely will Consider I am generating this up. When you've got frequented Washington County, you can have an understanding of - and know This may be a true story.
Wausau, it wound up, had some really highly effective possum politicians in the course of the early '80s. Here's several matters they attained:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led for the setting up with the monument alongside Point out Freeway 77 in Wausau.
They even got The us Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the fun by supplying the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a site to hold its once-a-year Entertaining Working day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among other items, the Pageant attracts heaps of folks on a yearly basis, plus they come across it irresistible.
Outing for a lot of educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you phone opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will conduct?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and displays its ugly overall body only in the evening. That is why, Should you be within the proper location in Florida, you may hear possum hunters' canines baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', so it will be easy to entice (or shoot) a person.
An inscription over the monument in the heart of Wausau cites the possum's function in read more furnishing 'both equally fur and meals' throughout the total centuries. It goes on to say: 'Their existence below has furnished an origin of nutritious and flavorful food items in usual moments and it has been an important assist to human survival in instances of distress and demanding require.'
Chortle if you love. The people of Wausau will chuckle together with you - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.