A spot in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
A spot in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
Blog Article
There is a dedicate Florida that constructed a 12-foot-higher monument in the midst of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone might like to do that?
Properly, to start with, heroes are complicated to exploration On this dedicate Florida - the Panhandle capital of scotland - Wausau, household of less than five hundred people in the heart of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero to say the minimum? No person else puts the possum on a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, again in 1982, Wausau got Fed up with becoming ignored of your Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Each individual place set up Florida demands a Pageant. And never one particular devote Florida incorporates a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you haven't absent to Washington County, you almost certainly will Consider I'm producing this up. If you have been to Washington County, you'll have an understanding of - and know this is the accurate Tale.
Wausau, it wound up, experienced some rather highly effective possum politicians from the early '80s. Here's some things they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the Original Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to the building in the monument together Condition Highway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even bought America Congress to marketplace the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by providing the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would've a site to carry its once-a-year Exciting Day and Possum Competition. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, among other matters, the Competition draws in A huge number of individuals Every single and yearly, moreover they adore it.
Time out for some educating of Northerners below. The South's possum is identical lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six will accomplish?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and shows its hideous human body only at nighttime. That is why, if you're in the appropriate spend Florida, you are able to listen to possum hunters' canines baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so Will probably be not complicated to catch (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription around the monument through Wausau cites the possum's job in furnishing 'equally fur and food' throughout the overall hundreds of years. It goes on say: 'Their existence in this article has supplied an origin of nutritious and flavorful food in ordinary situations and possesses been an important help to human survival far more distress and critical will need.'
Chuckle if you love. The persons here of Wausau will chuckle along - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.