A location in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum

There's a make investments Florida that built a 12-foot-large monument all through city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody would like to perform that?
Nicely, to begin with, heroes are tough to analysis inside of this place in position Florida - the Panhandle money of scotland- Wausau, home of less than five hundred folks in the center of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero to mention the the very least? No one else puts the possum around the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, final 1982, Wausau acquired fed up with currently being left out Using the Florida lists of entertaining, fairs and festivals. Just about every put in position Florida wants a Competition. And not a person commit Florida carries a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you have never absent to Washington County, you almost certainly will Believe I'm generating this up. When you've got attended Washington County, you'll fully grasp - and know this is the true Tale.
Wausau, it turned out, had some quite effective possum politicians in early '80s. Here's a pair of matters they accomplished:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the First Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led to your creating inside the monument together State website Highway 77 in Wausau.

They even bought The us Congress in promoting the possum. Congress joined the exciting by providing the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may need a location to hold its once-a-year Enjoyable Working day and Possum Competition. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, between other matters, the Competition draws in Countless persons each year, plus they find it irresistible.
Day trip for a lot of educating of Northerners below. The South's possum will be the similar lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use seven letters when 6 can do?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and shows its hideous body only at nighttime. This is why, whenever you find yourself inside the correct dedicate Florida, you are able to listen to possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so It is really effortless seize (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription across the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's role in giving 'each fur and food stuff' during the total hundreds of years. It goes on to say: 'Their existence here has offered an origin of nutritious and flavorful food items in normal instances and consists of been a vital support to human survival in moments of distress and important will need.'
Chortle if you like. The men and women of Wausau will chuckle as well as you - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.