A Place in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum

There is a commit Florida that built a 12-foot-substantial monument in the heart of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody could possibly love to do that?
Nicely, to begin with, heroes are tough to receive in just this put set up Florida - the Panhandle capital of scotland- Wausau, property of fewer than five hundred individuals in the course of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero to put it mildly? No person else puts the possum over a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, back again 1982, Wausau bought sick and worn out with becoming disregarded in the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Each area in Florida requires a Pageant. Rather than a person spend Florida features a Possum Competition. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have hardly ever absent to Washington County, you almost certainly will Assume I'm making this up. When you have attended Washington County, you may fully grasp - and know this can be a true story.
Wausau, it wound up, had some really powerful possum politicians noisy . '80s. Allow me to share check here certain things they completed:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the very 1st Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led to your building with the monument together State Freeway 77 in Wausau.

They even got the United States Congress in marketing the possum. Congress joined the exciting by giving the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a location to carry its once-a-year Enjoyable Day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, between other factors, the festival draws in lots of individuals Each and every and annually, and they also adore it.
Day trip for a great deal of educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is identical lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will do?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and shows its unappealing physique only during the night. This is why, if you're in the appropriate invest Florida, it is possible to hear possum hunters' canines baying and barking. Treed by canines, the possum 'freezes', so it will be not so difficult capture (or shoot) a person.
An inscription throughout the monument in the course of Wausau cites the possum's job in providing 'each fur and food items' through the generations. It goes on say: 'Their presence listed here has delivered a useful resource of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in standard occasions and it has been an important aid to human survival when in distress and critical require.'
Giggle if you'd favor. The people today of Wausau will chortle with you - though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.