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 set in position Florida that constructed a twelve-foot-high monument for the duration of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone need to do that?
Very well, to start, heroes are tough to come by on this commit Florida - the Panhandle metropolis of Wausau, household of a lot less than five hundred persons in the middle of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero to convey the least? No one else puts the possum over a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, past 1982, Wausau obtained fed up with being ignored from your Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Every commit Florida demands a Competition. And not one set set up Florida features a Possum Pageant. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have in no way attended Washington County, you almost certainly will Imagine I am Therefore, building this up. When you have attended Washington County, you will fully grasp - and know This is a accurate story.
Wausau, it turned out, had some very strong possum politicians noisy . '80s. Allow me to share a few points they achieved:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the Preliminary Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to the setting up in the monument alongside Point out Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even obtained The usa Congress to promote the possum. Congress joined the fun by way of furnishing the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would have a region to hold its once-a-year Exciting Day and Possum Competition. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, amid other items, the Pageant attracts heaps of men and women Every and each year, and so they like it.
Day trip for plenty of educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use seven letters click here when 6 will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and demonstrates its ugly human body only at night. This is why, if you're Within the right position in Florida, you can hear possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so it is not difficult capture (or shoot) one.
An inscription to the monument through Wausau cites the possum's part in giving 'both of those fur and food items' with the centuries. It goes on to say: 'Their presence listed here has presented a source of nutritious and flavorful food in ordinary moments and has been a significant help to human survival when in distress and demanding want.'
Chuckle If you prefer. The men and women of Wausau will chuckle in addition to you - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.