A spot in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
A spot in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum
Blog Article
There is a commit Florida that developed a 12-foot-superior monument in the course of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any one want to accomplish that?
Properly, to begin with, heroes choose time and effort to find on this spend Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, residence of less than 500 folks in the center of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero as you should expect? No one else places the possum by using a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, last 1982, Wausau got fed up with becoming neglected while in the Florida lists of enjoyment, fairs and festivals. Just about every devote Florida desires a festival. Instead of a single place in position Florida contains a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you haven't been to Washington County, you probably will Believe I am generating this up. Should you have been to Washington County, you'll recognize - and know this is the legitimate Tale.
Wausau, it wound up, had some quite highly effective possum politicians during the early '80s. Here's two issues they attained:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August check here as Possum Day in Florida. That led to your setting up from the monument alongside Point out Highway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even obtained America Congress to advertise the possum. Congress joined the entertaining by the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may have a spot to help its annual Pleasurable Working day and Possum Pageant. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, amid other issues, the Pageant appeals to tons of folks on a yearly basis, and so that they adore it.
Time out for lots of educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum is identical lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 can do?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and displays its unpleasant body only in the evening. This is why, when you find yourself within the ideal spend Florida, you may hear possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so it really is very simple enough to capture (or shoot) just one.
An inscription to the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's role in delivering 'both of those fur and foods' all over the hundreds of years. It goes on to say: 'Their presence listed here has offered a supply of nutritious and flavorful foods in typical moments and it's got been a major support to human survival when in distress and demanding want.'
Laugh should you'd desire. The men and women of Wausau will chuckle along with you - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.