A spot in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
A spot in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
Blog Article
There's a place set up Florida that built a twelve-foot-higher monument in the center of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody might like to do that?
Perfectly, very first off, heroes are tough to receive on this commit Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, home of below five hundred persons in the center of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero as you would be expecting? No one else places the possum around the pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, again 1982, Wausau bought fed up with remaining overlooked Together with the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Every single make investments Florida needs a Competition. Rather than a person position in Florida carries a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you haven't been to Washington County, you probably will Consider I'm Therefore, producing this up. When you have gone to Washington County, you are going to recognize - and know it is a real Tale.
Wausau, it proved, had some really highly effective possum politicians noisy . '80s. Listed here are a set of things they completed:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led for the making in the monument together Point out Freeway 77 in Wausau.
They even received America Congress to promote the possum. Congress joined the fun by way of providing the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a place to hold its once-a-year Enjoyable Working day get more info and Possum Pageant. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among other things, the Competition appeals to plenty of individuals every year, and in order that they adore it.
Day out for a few educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is comparable lowly animal you contact opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will probably do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and shows its unpleasant human body only during the night time. That's why, Should you be inside the appropriate area in Florida, you could hear possum hunters' puppies baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so It truly is not challenging to hook (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription over the monument in the course of Wausau cites the possum's position in offering 'both equally fur and foodstuff' through the overall centuries. It goes on say: 'Their presence below has supplied an origin of nutritious and flavorful meals in standard instances and possesses been an important help to human survival far more distress and significant have to have.'
Chuckle if you want. The people of Wausau will snicker along - although downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.