There is a commit Florida that constructed a twelve-foot-significant monument in the midst of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any one would like to do that?
Very well, initial off, heroes are tricky to acquire within just this location in Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, house of fewer than five hundred persons in the center of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero as you'd probably anticipate? No person else puts the possum about a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, again in 1982, Wausau got Fed up with remaining neglected While using the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Each and every spend Florida wishes a Pageant. Instead of just one devote Florida includes a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you haven't attended Washington County, you probably will think I am causeing this to be up. Should you have long gone to Washington County, you can realize - and know This is actually the genuine story.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some quite highly effective possum politicians through the early '80s. Listed below are two issues they achieved:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to the building in the monument together Condition Freeway 77 in Wausau.
They even bought The usa Congress to advertise the possum. Congress joined the pleasurable via furnishing the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may have a location to hold its once-a-year check here Exciting Working day and Possum Pageant. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among other factors, the Competition draws in heaps of folks Each individual and yearly, they usually locate it irresistible.
Trip for plenty of educating of Northerners listed here. The South's possum is identical lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and demonstrates its unattractive human body only in the evening. That is why, if you find yourself in the appropriate put in Florida, you'll be able to listen to possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so It will probably be simple adequate to hook (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription around the monument in the midst of Wausau cites the possum's part in giving 'both fur and foods' throughout the complete hundreds of years. It goes to say: 'Their presence below has offered an origin of nutritious and flavorful food items in typical situations and possesses been a substantial help to human survival a lot more distress and significant have to have.'
Chuckle if you like. The persons of Wausau will chortle with you - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.