A Place in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum

There is a position in Florida that crafted a 12-foot-high monument in the course of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any person have to do that?
Perfectly, to begin with, heroes are difficult to analysis During this commit Florida - the Panhandle funds of scotland - Wausau, property of lower than 500 folks all through Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero to convey the least? Nobody else places the possum over a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, back again in 1982, Wausau obtained Fed up with staying left out in the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Every single set set up Florida needs a Competition. Rather than one particular devote Florida includes a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you've got under no circumstances attended Washington County, you probably will Imagine I'm So, generating this up. Should you have gone to Washington County, you can realize - and know This may be a genuine Tale.
Wausau, it proved, had some very powerful possum politicians over the early '80s. Listed here are a handful of points they attained:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the first Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to the building inside the monument together State Highway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even received America Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the pleasurable by the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a region to maintain its once-a-year Enjoyable Day and Possum Competition. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among the other things, the Competition draws in Many individuals every year, they usually like it.
Trip for a several educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is identical lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use seven letters when 6 is going to do?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and displays its ugly system only at nighttime. That's why, For anyone who is within suitable put in Florida, it is possible to hear possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', thus it really is not so difficult capture (or shoot) a person.
An inscription regarding the monument in the guts of Wausau cites the possum's role in offering 'both equally fur and food stuff' all through the generations. It goes on to say: 'Their presence here has provided a resource of nutritious and flavorful foods in regular occasions and it has been an important support to human survival considerably more distress and demanding have to have.'
Chuckle if you prefer. The people today of Wausau will chuckle together click here - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.