There is a set in position Florida that designed a 12-foot-substantial monument in the midst of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone wish to do that?
Perfectly, to get started on, heroes are tough to analysis in just this devote Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, house of below 500 individuals all through Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero To place it mildly? No one else puts the possum that has a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, in 1982, Wausau got Ill and Sick and tired of currently being omitted of your Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Each individual commit Florida needs a festival. And not a single place in position Florida includes a Possum Festival. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have hardly ever frequented Washington County, you probably will Assume I am building this up. Should you have attended Washington County, you may realize - and know this is a real story.
Wausau, it turned out, experienced some quite impressive possum politicians in early '80s. Listed here are a handful of points they achieved:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the Original Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led into the making from the monument together Point out Freeway 77 in Wausau.
They even obtained The us Congress in selling the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a location to hold its yearly Fun Working day and Possum Competition. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among the other issues, the festival attracts Countless individuals each year, as well as they like it.
Day trip For lots of educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will do?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and exhibits its unpleasant physique only in the evening. That's why, if you find yourself within suitable commit Florida, you may hear possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by canines, the possum 'freezes', for that reason it truly is simple seize (or shoot) just one.
An inscription throughout the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's purpose in offering 'both fur and food items' through the entire generations. It goes on to say: 'Their presence below has here delivered an origin of nutritious and flavorful food stuff in typical times and consists of been A vital help to human survival throughout moments of distress and important have to have.'
Chuckle If you would like. The people today of Wausau will giggle as well as you - though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.