There is a make investments Florida that constructed a twelve-foot-higher monument throughout town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would everyone desire to do that?
Well, to start, heroes are difficult to receive During this devote Florida - the Panhandle metropolis of Wausau, home of much less than 500 folks all through Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero to state the the very least? No person else puts the possum more than a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, past 1982, Wausau acquired fed up with remaining ignored Using the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Each and every set in position Florida desires a Competition. And not one particular commit Florida includes a Possum Competition. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have not attended Washington County, you probably will think I am building this up. When you've got visited Washington County, you'll understand - and know It's really a genuine story.
Wausau, it ended up, experienced some fairly impressive possum politicians in the early '80s. Here i will discuss some things they completed:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led towards the creating of the monument together Point out Highway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even got The usa Congress to promote the possum. Congress joined the fun by giving the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may have a spot to keep its yearly Pleasurable Working day and Possum Competition. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among other issues, the festival attracts loads of people each and every year, moreover they like it.
Outing For here a lot of educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum is identical lowly animal you get in touch with opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six will do?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and shows its unappealing overall body only at nighttime. That's why, when you are from the ideal place set up Florida, it is possible to listen to possum hunters' canines baying and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', so it will be not so hard to trap (or shoot) 1.
An inscription about the monument in the midst of Wausau cites the possum's purpose in providing 'each fur and meals' in the course of the total hundreds of years. It goes to say: 'Their existence in this article has delivered a source of nutritious and flavorful foods in regular occasions and it has been a vital help to human survival when in distress and important want.'
Laugh if you prefer. The men and women of Wausau will chortle alongside - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.