There is a place set up Florida that constructed a 12-foot-significant monument during city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone need to do that?
Effectively, to start with, heroes are tough to get with this location in Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, dwelling of less than 500 folks in the course of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero To place it mildly? No person else places the possum in excess of a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, back again 1982, Wausau got fed up with remaining neglected on the Florida lists of entertaining, fairs and festivals. Every single position in Florida needs a festival. Instead of just one spend Florida features a Possum Competition. Why don't you Wausau?
If you've never gone to Washington County, you almost certainly will think I'm producing this up. If you have attended Washington County, you may comprehend - and know It is just a correct story.
Wausau, it turned out, had some very highly effective possum politicians from the early '80s. Listed here are some things they achieved:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led for the developing from the monument alongside Point out Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even bought The us Congress in marketing the possum. Congress joined the fun by giving the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a site to carry its yearly Exciting Day and Possum Festival. Showcasing a queen more info contest and possum auction, among the other things, the Competition draws in Countless people today yearly, plus they like it.
Day out for a several educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will almost certainly do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its unattractive body only at nighttime. This is exactly why, once you end up in the correct position in Florida, you'll be able to listen to possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', consequently it is not so difficult to hook (or shoot) just one.
An inscription with the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's job in supplying 'equally fur and food' throughout the centuries. It goes on to say: 'Their presence right here has offered a useful resource of nutritious and flavorful food stuff in ordinary situations and it has been A vital help to human survival in moments of distress and significant require.'
Chortle if you like. The folks of Wausau will chortle along with you - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.