There is a dedicate Florida that built a 12-foot-significant monument in the middle of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone may possibly love to do that?
Very well, to start with, heroes just take effort and time to search out using this invest Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, property of below five hundred individuals in the center of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero as you would hope? No one else places the possum on a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, back again in 1982, Wausau bought Bored with remaining overlooked Along with the Florida lists of pleasurable, fairs and festivals. Every single put in Florida demands a Pageant. And not one particular invest Florida includes a Possum Festival. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have in no way attended Washington County, you probably will Imagine I am generating this up. When you have attended Washington County, you are going to have an understanding of - and know it is a real story.
Wausau, it turned out, had some fairly highly effective possum politicians noisy . '80s. Listed below are some things they completed:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the First Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led for the developing from the monument together Point out Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even bought The us Congress to marketplace the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a location to hold its annual Enjoyable Day and Possum Competition. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, between other things, the Competition appeals to Many individuals annually, moreover they like it.
Trip for some educating of Northerners listed here. The South's possum will be the equivalent lowly animal you phone opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will carry out?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and shows its unappealing system only during the night time. That's why, In case you are from the appropriate commit Florida, you are able to listen to possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so it's not hard to hook (or shoot) just one.
An inscription for the monument in the heart of Wausau cites the possum's function in providing 'equally fur and meals' all through the hundreds of years. It goes on say: 'Their presence right here has presented read more a source of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in typical situations and it has been an important help to human survival in moments of distress and critical have to have.'
Snicker if you love. The people of Wausau will chortle along with you - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.