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 invest Florida that crafted a 12-foot-high monument all through town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone ought to do that?
Well, 1st off, heroes are hard to return by in just this place in Florida - the Panhandle funds of scotland - Wausau, property of fewer than 500 persons in the center of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero as you would be expecting? Nobody else puts the possum on the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, in 1982, Wausau got fed up with currently being omitted in the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Every single place in Florida would like a festival. Instead of a person commit Florida includes a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you have never absent to Washington County, you almost certainly will Believe I'm making this up. When you have been to Washington County, you'll fully grasp - and know This is actually the correct story.
Wausau, it ended up, experienced some pretty effective possum politicians within the early '80s. Here are some things they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the very 1st Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led on the building from the monument together Condition Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even obtained America Congress to sector the possum. Congress joined the exciting by giving the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau can have a spot to hold its once-a-year Enjoyment Day and Possum Competition. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among the other items, the festival appeals to Many individuals annually, and In addition they adore it.
Trip for a great deal of educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum here is the equivalent lowly animal you phone opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will do?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and shows its unattractive human body only during the night time. This is why, if you are Within the correct put in position Florida, you can listen to possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by canines, the possum 'freezes', as a result it truly is not so hard to capture (or shoot) one.
An inscription for the monument in the heart of Wausau cites the possum's job in giving 'the two fur and food' from the hundreds of years. It goes on to say: 'Their existence right here has delivered a useful resource of nutritious and flavorful foods in normal occasions and it has been an essential assist to human survival when in distress and demanding have to have.'
Giggle if you like. The people today of Wausau will chuckle along with you - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.