An area in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
An area in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
Blog Article
There is a location in Florida that constructed a 12-foot-large monument in the course of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody want to do that?
Effectively, to start with, heroes are challenging to locate on this devote Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, home of lower than five hundred folks throughout Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero as you'll count on? No person else places the possum around the pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, very last 1982, Wausau acquired Unwell and weary with being ignored during the Florida lists of pleasurable, fairs and festivals. Each individual spend Florida wants a Pageant. Instead of one particular put in place Florida provides a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you haven't absent to Washington County, you most likely will Consider I'm producing this up. When you've got long gone to Washington County, you can expect to fully grasp - and know it is a correct Tale.
Wausau, it wound up, experienced some rather highly effective possum politicians within the early '80s. Listed here website are some things they completed:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the pretty initial Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led into the making during the monument together Condition Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even received The usa Congress to promote the possum. Congress joined the fun by giving the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a site to carry its annual Exciting Day and Possum Competition. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, amid other items, the festival draws in Countless men and women Every and each year, moreover they like it.
Day out For several educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will do?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and exhibits its hideous overall body only at night. This is exactly why, If you're within suitable spend Florida, you can listen to possum hunters' canines baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', thus it is not so hard to capture (or shoot) just one.
An inscription throughout the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's function in supplying 'both of those fur and foodstuff' all through the centuries. It goes to say: 'Their presence in this article has provided a resource of nutritious and flavorful food items in regular occasions and possesses been an important support to human survival in the course of instances of distress and significant need to have.'
Giggle If you would like. The men and women of Wausau will snicker with you - although downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.