An area in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum

There's a spot in Florida that built a 12-foot-superior monument in the middle of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any person might like to do that?
Perfectly, to begin with, heroes are really hard to come back by Within this location in Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, household of below five hundred individuals in the center of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero to say the least? Nobody else puts the possum by using a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, previous 1982, Wausau bought Unwell and exhausted with becoming omitted Using the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Each individual dedicate Florida wishes a Competition. And not a single place in position Florida encompasses a Possum Competition. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have not been to Washington County, you probably will Believe I am creating this up. In case you have visited Washington County, you'll understand - and know this is the genuine story.
Wausau, it proved, had some pretty impressive possum politicians in early '80s. Allow me to share several items they accomplished:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the Preliminary Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led to the constructing while in the monument together Point out Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even bought The usa Congress in promoting the possum. Congress joined the fun by offering the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a place to maintain its yearly Exciting Day and Possum Pageant. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, between other issues, the festival draws in A lot of people annually, and they also like it.
Time out for your handful of check here educating of Northerners listed here. The South's possum is identical lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six will accomplish?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its unattractive body only at nighttime. This is why, if you're inside the correct place set up Florida, you may listen to possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', so It will probably be basic ample to catch (or shoot) one.
An inscription for your monument in the guts of Wausau cites the possum's function in giving 'both fur and food items' all over the hundreds of years. It goes on say: 'Their presence right here has presented a useful resource of nutritious and flavorful food items in ordinary times and it has been an important assist to human survival when in distress and significant will need.'
Giggle if you want. The people of Wausau will chortle along - although downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.