There's a place in Florida that built a 12-foot-large monument in the heart of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would everyone have to do that?
Very well, to start, heroes are hard to analysis on this put in Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, home of much less than five hundred persons all through Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero as you'd probably expect? No one else places the possum over the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, back again in 1982, Wausau acquired Unwell and tired with getting ignored through the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Each spot in Florida would like a festival. Instead of a person invest Florida contains a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you have not attended Washington County, you most likely will Feel I am making this up. When you've got gone to Washington County, you can expect to fully grasp - and know this is the real Tale.
Wausau, it proved, had some very potent possum politicians inside the early '80s. Listed here are certain things they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led to your making Using the monument along Condition Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even received America Congress in promoting the possum. Congress joined the exciting by providing the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may have an area to hold its once-a-year Enjoyable Possum removal Brighton Day and Possum Pageant. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among other points, the Competition appeals to A huge number of people per year, and In addition they locate it irresistible.
Day out for some educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum is comparable lowly animal you contact opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and demonstrates its unattractive body only at nighttime. This is exactly why, Should you be within correct area in Florida, you are able to listen to possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', consequently it can be not challenging to capture (or shoot) one.
An inscription for the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's part in furnishing 'both fur and food' in the centuries. It goes on say: 'Their existence in this article has supplied an origin of nutritious and flavorful food in typical times and possesses been a substantial enable to human survival throughout instances of distress and important want.'
Chuckle for those who'd like. The men and women of Wausau will chortle together with you - though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.