A spot in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
A spot in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
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There's a put in Florida that developed a twelve-foot-high monument in the center of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone need to do that?
Very well, to begin, heroes are tough to investigation on this dedicate Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, house of under 500 people in the center of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero to say the minimum? No person else places the possum more than a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, again in 1982, Wausau acquired Unwell and exhausted with being left out of the Florida lists of entertaining, fairs and festivals. Just about every spend Florida desires a festival. Rather than just one position in Florida contains a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you haven't attended Washington County, you probably will Believe I am As a result, making this up. When you have absent to Washington County, you can expect to recognize - and know this is a real story.
Wausau, it proved, had some quite strong possum politicians throughout the early '80s. Allow me to share two points they completed:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led for the developing within the monument along Point out Freeway 77 in Wausau.
They even obtained the United States Congress to advertise the possum. Congress joined the pleasurable by the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could have a location to help keep its yearly Exciting Day and Possum Festival. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among other issues, the festival appeals to Lots of people on a yearly basis, plus they adore it.
Time out for many educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is equivalent lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will perform?) read more It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and displays its unpleasant physique only during the night time. This is exactly why, For anyone who is inside right put set up Florida, you'll be able to hear possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', so it's effortless to hook (or shoot) 1.
An inscription over the monument in the heart of Wausau cites the possum's purpose in providing 'the two fur and food' through the hundreds of years. It goes on to say: 'Their presence here has provided a source of nutritious and flavorful food items in standard situations and has been an essential aid to human survival way more distress and significant want.'
Snicker if you want. The people of Wausau will chortle alongside - though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.