A Place in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum

There is a area in Florida that created a 12-foot-higher monument in the midst of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone desire to accomplish that?
Nicely, to begin with, heroes are hard to find with this put in Florida - the Panhandle capital of scotland - Wausau, household of less than 500 folks in the heart of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero understandably? No person else places the possum over a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, back again in 1982, Wausau got tired of currently being disregarded of your Florida lists of pleasurable, fairs and festivals. Each individual put set up Florida requires a festival. Rather than just one place in place Florida includes a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you haven't visited Washington County, you almost certainly will Assume I am So, generating this up. In case you have visited Washington County, you are going to recognize - and know It's really a real story.
Wausau, it proved, had some quite strong possum politicians in the early '80s. Allow me to share two issues they achieved:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led for the developing while in the monument together State Highway 77 in Wausau.

They even acquired The read more usa Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the exciting by providing the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau can have a location to carry its once-a-year Fun Working day and Possum Pageant. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, between other things, the Pageant appeals to Countless individuals on a yearly basis, and so they adore it.
Day trip For several educating of Northerners listed here. The South's possum is analogous lowly animal you phone opossum, (Why use seven letters when six can perform?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and reveals its unsightly physique only during the night. That's why, When you are Within the ideal devote Florida, you can hear possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', therefore it's not tricky to hook (or shoot) one.
An inscription regarding the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's job in furnishing 'both equally fur and foods' in the total hundreds of years. It goes on to say: 'Their existence below has provided a source of nutritious and flavorful food in typical instances and possesses been an essential support to human survival way more distress and significant want.'
Snicker If you'd like. The persons of Wausau will chuckle alongside - though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.