A Place in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum

There is a put in position Florida that built a 12-foot-significant monument in the course of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any one really need to do that?
Effectively, to start, heroes are challenging to investigation using this set in place Florida - the Panhandle metropolis of Wausau, residence of less than 500 people in the middle of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero to convey the minimum? No one else places the possum by using a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, back again 1982, Wausau received sick and tired of currently being disregarded within the Florida lists of entertaining, fairs and festivals. Each individual position in Florida requires a Competition. And never one particular place in place Florida contains a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you have hardly ever attended Washington County, you almost certainly will Believe I am Therefore, generating this up. If you have gone to Washington County, you'll comprehend - and know that is a correct Tale.
Wausau, it turned out, had some fairly impressive possum click here politicians over the early '80s. Here i will discuss some things they accomplished:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the main Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led to your building with the monument alongside Point out Highway 77 in Wausau.

They even bought The us Congress to promote the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by providing the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may need a spot to carry its annual Enjoyment Day and Possum Pageant. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other points, the festival appeals to 1000s of people today each year, and they adore it.
Day trip for lots of educating of Northerners here. The South's possum may be the identical lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and demonstrates its unattractive overall body only in the evening. This is why, when you are in the ideal invest Florida, you may hear possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', consequently it's straightforward to capture (or shoot) one.
An inscription with regard to the monument throughout Wausau cites the possum's position in offering 'both equally fur and meals' throughout the centuries. It goes to say: 'Their presence here has delivered a source of nutritious and flavorful food stuff in ordinary situations and includes been a vital aid to human survival in times of distress and demanding need to have.'
Snicker if you like. The men and women of Wausau will chuckle along - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.