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

There is a set in position Florida that crafted a twelve-foot-large monument in the center of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any individual should do that?
Perfectly, to begin with, heroes are challenging to locate on this set set up Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, dwelling of less than 500 individuals in the middle of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero as you'd hope? Nobody else puts the possum on the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, in 1982, Wausau got fed up with currently being ignored Along with the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Every single set in position Florida requires a Pageant. And not one particular position in Florida carries a Possum Festival. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have not been to Washington County, you almost certainly will Imagine I'm building this up. If you have attended Washington County, you'll have an understanding of - and know this can be a legitimate story.
Wausau, it proved, had some very powerful possum politicians in early '80s. Listed below are some things they completed:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the very first Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led to the setting up with the monument along State Highway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even received The usa Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the enjoyable by furnishing the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would've a location to keep its once-a-year Enjoyable Working day and Possum Pageant. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other items, the Competition appeals to Many of us each and every year, and so they like it.
Day out for your couple of educating of Northerners below. The South's possum is the equivalent lowly animal you contact opossum, (Why use seven letters when 6 will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and demonstrates its unpleasant overall body only at night. That is why, if you find yourself during the ideal put in position Florida, you are able to hear possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', so it will be not challenging to catch (or shoot) a single.
An inscription round the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's part in giving 'each fur and food items' through the hundreds of years. It goes onto say: 'Their presence in this article has delivered a supply of nutritious and flavorful food in standard moments and it check here has been a major aid to human survival when in distress and important want.'
Chortle In order for you. The people of Wausau will giggle with you - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.