A location in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum

There's a invest Florida that crafted a twelve-foot-significant monument in the middle of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any individual desire to perform that?
Well, to begin with, heroes are difficult for getting with this particular place in position Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, dwelling of much less than 500 folks in the middle of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero to put it mildly? Nobody else places the possum in excess of a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, in 1982, Wausau received Ill and Uninterested in becoming ignored in the Florida lists of pleasurable, fairs and festivals. Each and every devote Florida requirements a festival. And never just one place in Florida carries a Possum Competition. Why don't you Wausau?
If you haven't visited Washington County, you most likely will Assume I'm causeing this to become up. If you have been to Washington County, you are going to realize - and know this is the real Tale.
Wausau, it ended up, had some quite strong possum politicians inside the early '80s. Listed below are some things they completed:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the Original Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led to your making with the monument alongside State Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even acquired the United States Congress in promoting the possum. Congress joined the fun by providing the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would've a spot to support its annual Exciting Day and Possum Pageant. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, between other issues, the festival attracts 1000s of persons Just about every and on a yearly basis, moreover they discover it irresistible.
Trip For several educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you get in touch with opossum, (Why use seven letters when 6 will do?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and shows its unpleasant overall body only during the night. That is why, when click here you're Within the proper put set up Florida, you could listen to possum hunters' puppies baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so It really is uncomplicated adequate seize (or shoot) a single.
An inscription to the monument in the course of Wausau cites the possum's part in giving 'both fur and foodstuff' throughout the hundreds of years. It goes onto say: 'Their existence in this article has provided a source of nutritious and flavorful food items in usual periods and it's got been A vital support to human survival in occasions of distress and demanding have to have.'
Giggle if you want. The men and women of Wausau will snicker with you - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.