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 commit Florida that developed a twelve-foot-high monument in the middle of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any person may like to do that?
Very well, first off, heroes are difficult to locate within this commit Florida - the Panhandle capital of scotland - Wausau, dwelling of much less than five hundred folks in the guts of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero understandably? No one else puts the possum more than a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, in 1982, Wausau obtained Weary of becoming overlooked while in the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Each dedicate Florida needs a festival. And never one particular devote Florida carries a Possum Competition. Why don't you Wausau?
If you haven't attended Washington County, you probably will Feel I am building this up. For those who have been to Washington County, you can expect to fully grasp - and know This is a genuine Tale.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some quite powerful possum politicians from the early '80s. Listed here are a pair of items they attained:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the really initially Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led towards the creating with the monument together State Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even obtained The us Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by giving the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might click here have a location to help its yearly Pleasurable Working day and Possum Pageant. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other factors, the Pageant attracts A lot of people Just about every and yearly, and so that they like it.
Day out for some educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will almost certainly do?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and reveals its unsightly entire body only in the evening. This is exactly why, while you are inside the correct place set up Florida, you could hear possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', so it is not so tough to lure (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription to the monument in the midst of Wausau cites the possum's role in supplying 'the two fur and foodstuff' in the full generations. It goes on say: 'Their existence here has furnished a useful resource of nutritious and flavorful food stuff in regular times and it's got been a crucial guide to human survival when in distress and critical need.'
Chuckle if you like. The individuals of Wausau will giggle alongside - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.