There is a dedicate Florida that designed a twelve-foot-significant monument in the guts of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody choose to do that?
Effectively, to begin with, heroes are hard to have using this place in Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, residence of less than five hundred persons in the center of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero To place it mildly? Nobody else puts the possum above a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, back again 1982, Wausau bought sick and Uninterested in staying left out While using the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Each commit Florida wants a Competition. And not 1 position in Florida features a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you haven't visited Washington County, you most likely will Imagine I am creating this up. In case you have attended Washington County, you'll comprehend - and know This can be the real story.
Wausau, it wound up, experienced some quite strong possum politicians in early '80s. Here's two issues they achieved:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to the building through the monument alongside Point out Highway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even bought The usa Congress to promote the possum. Congress joined the exciting by the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may have a place to maintain its once-a-year Enjoyable Day and Possum Festival. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, between other points, the festival attracts Lots of individuals every year, and Additionally they like it.
Day trip for lots of educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 can do?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and reveals its unpleasant system only during the night. That is why, when you're inside the proper commit Florida, you are able to listen to possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', so it's simple to capture (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription round the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's part in giving 'each fur and foodstuff' in the course of the full generations. It goes on say: 'Their existence below has delivered an origin of nutritious and flavorful food items in usual situations and it has been an essential support to human survival here a lot more distress and critical will need.'
Giggle if you want. The men and women of Wausau will laugh with you - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.