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

There's a commit Florida that designed a twelve-foot-large monument in the center of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody really need to do that?
Well, 1st off, heroes are challenging to get within just this dedicate Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, property of beneath 500 folks throughout Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero To place it mildly? Nobody else puts the possum within the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, past 1982, Wausau obtained Unwell and fatigued with getting neglected from your Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Every put in Florida needs a Pageant. Instead of a single put in Florida carries a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you have not attended Washington County, you probably will think I am building this up. For those who have attended Washington County, you can fully grasp - and know It is just a real story.
Wausau, it proved, had some really potent possum politicians in early '80s. Here's some things they achieved:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the quite initially Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led towards the constructing during the monument along Condition Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even received The us Congress to advertise the possum. Congress joined the exciting by delivering the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a area to hold its yearly Pleasurable Day and Possum Competition. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other issues, the festival appeals to Many men and women on a yearly basis, and In addition they locate it irresistible.
Trip for a lot of educating of Northerners check here listed here. The South's possum is comparable lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six will execute?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and demonstrates its ugly system only at night. That's why, when you're inside the appropriate place in Florida, you may listen to possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', thus it is actually not so tricky capture (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription for your monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's role in giving 'the two fur and food items' all over the generations. It goes on to say: 'Their existence right here has supplied a source of nutritious and flavorful food stuff in ordinary moments and has been a vital guide to human survival in moments of distress and significant have to have.'
Snicker if you want. The folks of Wausau will chuckle alongside - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.