There's a put in place Florida that designed a twelve-foot-substantial monument in the middle of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone would like to perform that?
Very well, to begin, heroes take effort and time to come back by inside of this commit Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, household of below five hundred folks for the duration of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero understandably? No person else puts the possum over a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, in 1982, Wausau got sick and drained with remaining overlooked on the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Each and every spot in Florida desires a Pageant. Rather than one particular place set up Florida features a Possum Competition. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have never absent to Washington County, you almost certainly will Imagine I am Hence, generating this up. When you've got attended Washington County, you may fully grasp - and know this is a accurate Tale.
Wausau, it ended up, experienced some pretty powerful possum politicians in early '80s. Allow me to share two factors they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led for the constructing while in the monument along Condition Freeway 77 in Wausau.
They even obtained The us Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could have a locale to carry its annual more info Exciting Working day and Possum Festival. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, between other points, the Pageant appeals to tons of men and women yearly, and they also like it.
Trip For several educating of Northerners listed here. The South's possum may be the identical lowly animal you get in touch with opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its unsightly human body only at nighttime. This is why, when you are throughout the ideal place in position Florida, you can hear possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so It can be not so tough seize (or shoot) just one.
An inscription with the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's role in furnishing 'both equally fur and foods' throughout the full hundreds of years. It goes on say: 'Their presence listed here has delivered a source of nutritious and flavorful food in ordinary situations and it has been a significant aid to human survival when in distress and significant need to have.'
Snicker should you'd like. The people today of Wausau will chuckle in conjunction with you - although downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.