A Place in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
A Place in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
Blog Article
There is a commit Florida that built a 12-foot-higher monument during city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any individual have to do that?
Nicely, to start with, heroes are tricky to exploration In this particular commit Florida - the Panhandle metropolis of Wausau, home of below five hundred people for the duration of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero understandably? Nobody else puts the possum with a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, previous 1982, Wausau bought Unwell and weary with becoming omitted in the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Every single set in position Florida needs a Competition. Rather than one particular devote Florida includes a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you have in no way attended Washington County, you almost certainly will Imagine I am As a result, creating this up. If you have absent to Washington County, you can expect to fully grasp - and know this can be a genuine Tale.
Wausau, it turned out, experienced some really potent possum politicians in the early '80s. Here are a number of items they achieved:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature check here to proclaim the primary Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led into the setting up inside the monument together State Highway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even acquired America Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the exciting by the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a place to keep its annual Pleasurable Working day and Possum Pageant. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, between other matters, the Pageant draws in Many of us every year, and In addition they like it.
Trip for just a number of educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum may be the similar lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will do?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its unattractive body only at nighttime. That is why, if you are within appropriate place in Florida, it is possible to listen to possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', as a result it's not so complicated capture (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription with the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's job in supplying 'equally fur and food items' throughout the generations. It goes to say: 'Their presence right here has offered a useful resource of nutritious and flavorful food items in usual situations and consists of been a significant assistance to human survival throughout situations of distress and significant need.'
Laugh in the event you'd choose. The individuals of Wausau will laugh together with you - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.