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

There's a devote Florida that crafted a 12-foot-large monument in the heart of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any one want to accomplish that?
Nicely, to start, heroes take time and effort to have on this devote Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, house of a lot less than five hundred individuals in the middle of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero to mention the the very least? Nobody else places the possum over the pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, again 1982, Wausau bought Uninterested in being omitted With all the Florida lists of entertaining, fairs and festivals. Each individual spot in Florida demands a festival. And never one particular put in place Florida incorporates a Possum Competition. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have never been to Washington County, you almost certainly will think I'm producing this up. If you have attended Washington County, you can have an understanding of - and know This may be a correct Tale.
Wausau, it wound up, had some fairly potent possum politicians during the early '80s. Here i will discuss a handful of factors they accomplished:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the Original Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led into the constructing while in the monument along Point out Highway 77 in Wausau.

They even acquired the United States Congress to promote the possum. Congress joined the entertaining by offering the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may have a location to help keep its once-a-year Entertaining Working day and Possum Festival. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, amid other points, the festival draws in Many of us every year, as well as they adore it.
Day trip for some educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is click here identical lowly animal you get in touch with opossum, (Why use seven letters when 6 can do?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and reveals its unappealing body only at night. This is exactly why, when you're inside the correct place in place Florida, it is possible to hear possum hunters' puppies baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', consequently it really is not difficult to hook (or shoot) just one.
An inscription about the monument during Wausau cites the possum's function in giving 'both fur and food items' with the entire hundreds of years. It goes onto say: 'Their presence below has offered a useful resource of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in standard instances and it's been an important help to human survival in periods of distress and significant need to have.'
Chortle in the event you'd prefer. The men and women of Wausau will chortle along with you - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.