There is a set set up Florida that developed a 12-foot-higher monument in the middle of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any one have to do that?
Very well, 1st off, heroes are hard to investigation using this type of dedicate Florida - the Panhandle funds of scotland - Wausau, house of fewer than 500 individuals in the heart of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero understandably? Nobody else puts the possum having a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, very last 1982, Wausau got Uninterested in remaining ignored With all the Florida lists of pleasurable, fairs and festivals. Each spot in Florida desires a Pageant. And never one particular devote Florida includes a Possum Pageant. Why don't you Wausau?
If you've never ever gone to Washington County, you almost certainly will Imagine I'm making this up. For those who have gone to Washington County, you will recognize - and know this can be a real story.
Wausau, it turned out, had some very impressive possum politicians in early '80s. Here are some things they attained:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the Preliminary Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led for the making while in the monument together Point out Freeway 77 in Wausau.
They even received The usa Congress to current market the Possum removal Camberwell possum. Congress joined the enjoyable by providing the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might need a place to carry its yearly Enjoyable Working day and Possum Competition. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, amid other things, the festival appeals to Lots of people Every single and annually, and they adore it.
Trip For several educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum is definitely the equivalent lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its unattractive overall body only at night. This is why, any time you find yourself inside of ideal make investments Florida, you can hear possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', so It will probably be not tricky to hook (or shoot) just one.
An inscription on the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's role in offering 'equally fur and food items' throughout the total centuries. It goes on say: 'Their presence right here has furnished a resource of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in usual situations and it has been an important enable to human survival when in distress and important need to have.'
Chuckle if you want. The folks of Wausau will chuckle along with you - though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.