A Place in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
A Place in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
Blog Article
There's a put in Florida that created a twelve-foot-significant monument in the center of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any person would like to perform that?
Properly, to begin, heroes are tough to analysis with this particular set in position Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, dwelling of less than five hundred individuals in the middle of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero to state the the very least? Nobody else puts the possum over a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, again in 1982, Wausau received Weary of staying ignored inside the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Every single put in position Florida demands a Competition. And never one commit Florida incorporates a Possum Festival. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have never attended Washington County, you probably will Consider I'm generating this up. In case you have frequented Washington County, you can recognize - and know that is a real story.
Wausau, it wound up, experienced some fairly impressive possum politicians in early '80s. Here's certain things they attained:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the Preliminary Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led on the constructing in the monument along Condition Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even acquired the United States Congress in advertising the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by supplying the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may need a place to keep its once-a-year click here Enjoyable Day and Possum Competition. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, between other points, the Pageant draws in Lots of individuals on a yearly basis, and they also adore it.
Time out for just a couple educating of Northerners here. The South's possum will be the identical lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and shows its hideous system only at night. That's why, if you are inside the suitable set in position Florida, you'll be able to listen to possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so It really is straightforward enough to entice (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription in regards to the monument in the guts of Wausau cites the possum's job in offering 'both of those fur and foods' in the course of the overall hundreds of years. It goes on to say: 'Their existence in this article has delivered an origin of nutritious and flavorful foods in typical instances and possesses been a crucial assist to human survival far more distress and important want.'
Snicker if you love. The persons of Wausau will laugh along with you - though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.