A spot in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum

There's a make investments Florida that developed a 12-foot-large monument in the center of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any one want to accomplish that?
Very well, to begin with, heroes are really hard to come by With this set set up Florida - the Panhandle funds of scotland- Wausau, dwelling of a lot less than five hundred people in the middle of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero as you'd probably anticipate? Nobody else puts the possum on a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, last 1982, Wausau received Unwell and Uninterested in being ignored While using the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Each individual place in Florida desires a festival. And never a single make investments Florida has a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you have not frequented Washington County, you almost certainly will Assume I'm generating this up. If you have absent to Washington County, you'll have an understanding of - and know this can be a true story.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some fairly powerful possum politicians in early '80s. Allow me to share two issues they check here accomplished:


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

They even received The usa Congress to marketplace the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by offering the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau can have a location to help keep its once-a-year Enjoyment Working day and Possum Pageant. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among other things, the Competition draws in A lot of people annually, and in order that they locate it irresistible.
Time out For a lot of educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you phone opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will carry out?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and shows its unpleasant entire body only during the night. This is exactly why, if you're within the right make investments Florida, it is possible to hear possum hunters' canines baying and barking. Treed by canines, the possum 'freezes', so Will probably be not tricky to entice (or shoot) one.
An inscription with regard to the monument in the course of Wausau cites the possum's position in supplying 'both of those fur and foodstuff' in the course of the whole hundreds of years. It goes on to say: 'Their existence right here has presented a resource of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in normal instances and it has been A necessary help to human survival when in distress and critical want.'
Giggle In order for you. The people today of Wausau will laugh coupled with you - although downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.