There is a place in Florida that built a twelve-foot-substantial monument in the guts of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody might love to do that?
Well, very first off, heroes are tricky to discover with this particular commit Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, property of below five hundred people in the middle of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero to state the minimum? Nobody else puts the possum around a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, back again 1982, Wausau bought Ill and Uninterested in currently being disregarded within the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Every single dedicate Florida wants a Pageant. And never one particular commit Florida incorporates a Possum Competition. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have never been to Washington County, you probably will think I'm So, producing this up. If you have attended Washington County, you can understand - and know this is the true Tale.
Wausau, it wound up, had some rather effective possum politicians noisy . '80s. Here are a few issues they accomplished:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the first Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led into the constructing With all the monument along State Highway 77 in Wausau.

They even acquired The us Congress to promote the possum. Congress joined the pleasurable by delivering the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could have a spot to support its once-a-year Fun Working day and Possum Festival. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, between other factors, the Competition draws in Many individuals on a yearly basis, they usually adore it.
Day trip for any number of educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is comparable lowly animal you contact opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six will accomplish?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and exhibits its unpleasant body only during the night. That's why, any time you end up inside of appropriate put in place Florida, you could hear possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so Will probably be effortless to hook (or shoot) a person.
An inscription round the monument all through Wausau cites the possum's part in giving 'both of those fur and meals' with the centuries. It goes on to say: 'Their existence here has offered a supply of nutritious and flavorful food in typical periods and it's got been an essential aid to human survival in periods of distress and critical require.'
Snicker if you prefer. The people of Wausau will chuckle coupled with you - website while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.