There is a set in place Florida that developed a twelve-foot-superior monument all through town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any individual should do that?
Properly, to get started with, heroes are challenging to seek out with this devote Florida - the Panhandle cash of scotland - Wausau, dwelling of under five hundred persons in the center of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero to state the minimum? No person else puts the possum around a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, again in 1982, Wausau obtained Ill and Sick and tired of currently being neglected from the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Every dedicate Florida wants a festival. And not a single position in Florida carries a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you've in no way been to Washington County, you almost certainly will Assume I'm producing this up. For those who have attended Washington County, you are going to comprehend - and know this is the real Tale.
Wausau, it turned out, had some very strong possum politicians in early '80s. Listed below are a set of things they attained:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led to your setting up Along with the monument alongside State Highway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even bought The us Congress to industry the possum. Congress joined the exciting via giving the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would have a location to keep its annual Pleasurable Working day and Possum Pageant. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, among the other issues, the festival appeals to lots of people annually, as well as they adore it.
Time out for a great deal of educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is comparable lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will probably do?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and shows its unpleasant overall body only at night. This is why, when you are In the right location in Florida, it is possible to listen to possum more info hunters' puppies baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', so it will be easy plenty of to hook (or shoot) one.
An inscription within the monument in the course of Wausau cites the possum's purpose in delivering 'equally fur and foodstuff' throughout the whole hundreds of years. It goes on say: 'Their presence below has presented a resource of nutritious and flavorful food items in typical occasions and consists of been a very important assist to human survival for the duration of situations of distress and demanding need to have.'
Chortle if you prefer. The people today of Wausau will snicker together with you - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.