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

There is a place in place Florida that developed a 12-foot-superior monument in the middle of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any person have to do that?
Nicely, to begin with, heroes acquire effort and time to come by in just this devote Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, house of under five hundred individuals in the course of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero as you would be expecting? No one else puts the possum with a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, previous 1982, Wausau received Unwell and tired of being omitted Together with the Florida lists of entertaining, fairs and festivals. Each individual invest Florida needs a Pageant. And not one make investments Florida incorporates a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you have not been to Washington County, you most likely will Believe I'm thus, building this up. Should you have frequented Washington County, you may understand - and know it is a true Tale.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some fairly effective possum politicians noisy . '80s. Listed here are some things they completed:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the quite initially Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led to your constructing in the monument alongside State Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even acquired the United States Congress to market place the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might need a location to help keep its yearly Enjoyment Working day and Possum Pageant. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, amid other points, the Pageant attracts Countless persons each and annually, and in order that they uncover it irresistible.
Day out for a several educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum is equivalent lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use seven letters when 6 will perform?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in check here trees and reveals its unpleasant human body only at nighttime. That is why, when you're In the right invest Florida, you'll be able to hear possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so it really is uncomplicated to entice (or shoot) one.
An inscription throughout the monument for the duration of Wausau cites the possum's role in supplying 'the two fur and meals' in the overall generations. It goes on say: 'Their existence in this article has furnished a resource of nutritious and flavorful food in regular times and has been an essential aid to human survival when in distress and important require.'
Chortle if you want. The folks of Wausau will chuckle with you - although downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.