A Place in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum

There is a devote Florida that developed a twelve-foot-higher monument in the center of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any person must do that?
Perfectly, to begin with, heroes just take effort and time to come back by on this devote Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, house of less than 500 individuals in the guts of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero to state the least? No person else puts the possum over a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, past 1982, Wausau received sick and Bored with being omitted through the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Just about every dedicate Florida would like a Competition. And not a person spend Florida features a Possum Pageant. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have never visited Washington County, you most likely will Feel I'm causeing this to generally be up. When you've got been to Washington County, you are going to have an understanding of - and know Here is the correct Tale.
Wausau, it wound up, experienced some rather powerful possum politicians while in the early '80s. Listed here are certain things they completed:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the Original Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to your building While using the monument alongside State Highway 77 in Wausau.

They even obtained America Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the exciting as a result of supplying the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so more info Wausau might have a spot to hold its annual Enjoyment Working day and Possum Pageant. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, between other factors, the festival appeals to Many of us each year, and Additionally they adore it.
Day out for some educating of Northerners below. The South's possum is comparable lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and exhibits its unattractive overall body only during the night. That is why, If you're inside the appropriate dedicate Florida, you are able to listen to possum hunters' canines baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so It is really simple adequate to hook (or shoot) 1.
An inscription on the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's purpose in providing 'both fur and meals' over the total generations. It goes on to say: 'Their existence listed here has supplied a source of nutritious and flavorful food in standard occasions and it's been a significant help to human survival when in distress and significant will need.'
Snicker if you want. The people today of Wausau will snicker along with you - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.