There's a dedicate Florida that constructed a twelve-foot-high monument in the center of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone want to accomplish that?
Nicely, to start, heroes are hard to receive with this particular set in place Florida - the Panhandle metropolis of Wausau, house of less than 500 folks in the heart of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero to state the least? Nobody else puts the possum on a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, very last 1982, Wausau bought sick and drained with being neglected Together with the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Every single make investments Florida desires a festival. Rather than just one place in place Florida features a Possum Pageant. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have not been to Washington County, you probably will Imagine I'm So, generating this up. For those who have long gone to Washington County, you are going to have an understanding of - and know it is a correct story.
Wausau, it proved, had some fairly strong possum politicians in early '80s. Here's certain things they accomplished:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led for the creating from the monument alongside Point out Highway 77 in Wausau.

They even bought The us Congress to sector the possum. Congress joined the enjoyable by furnishing the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might need a location to carry its yearly Exciting Day and Possum Festival. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among other issues, the festival appeals to lots of people Each and every and each year, as well as they adore it.
Day trip for a great deal of educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 can do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its unappealing physique only in the evening. This is exactly why, whenever you end up in the correct spot in Florida, you'll be able to listen to possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, more info the possum 'freezes', therefore it is actually not so challenging to hook (or shoot) a person.
An inscription for your monument in the midst of Wausau cites the possum's part in furnishing 'both fur and foods' through the generations. It goes on to say: 'Their presence here has supplied a resource of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in standard instances and has been a crucial assist to human survival far more distress and significant want.'
Chortle if you love. The persons of Wausau will laugh alongside - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.