There's a place in Florida that designed a twelve-foot-large monument in the middle of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any one desire to perform that?
Very well, to get started on, heroes are hard to acquire on this invest Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, residence of below five hundred individuals throughout Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero understandably? No one else places the possum about a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, back 1982, Wausau got fed up with becoming neglected through the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Every spot in Florida desires a Pageant. Rather than a person devote Florida provides a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you haven't long gone to Washington County, you most likely will Imagine I'm causeing this to generally be up. For those who have been to Washington County, you are going to understand - and know Here is the true Tale.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some very powerful possum politicians in the course of the early '80s. Here are two things they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led on the constructing from the monument along Condition Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even received The usa Congress in advertising and marketing the possum. Congress joined the entertaining by providing the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would have a place to carry its annual Entertaining Day and Possum Competition. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among other factors, the Competition appeals to many people every year, and they also adore it.
Time out for many educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is analogous lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will execute?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and exhibits its hideous overall body only during the night time. This is exactly why, if you're throughout the right spend Florida, get more info you may hear possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so It will probably be not tricky to catch (or shoot) one.
An inscription to the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's function in offering 'both equally fur and food' from the generations. It goes on to say: 'Their presence right here has offered a source of nutritious and flavorful food items in standard moments and it's been A necessary assist to human survival when in distress and demanding have to have.'
Chuckle if you want. The men and women of Wausau will snicker along with you - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.