There's a devote Florida that developed a twelve-foot-large monument for the duration of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody may well like to do that?
Well, to get started on, heroes are challenging to find With this dedicate Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, house of fewer than 500 people in the course of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero To place it mildly? No person else places the possum on the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, in 1982, Wausau received sick and tired of staying omitted within the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Every location in Florida requires a Pageant. Instead of 1 dedicate Florida carries a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you've in no way frequented Washington County, you probably will Consider I'm making this up. In case you have absent to Washington County, you may recognize - and know this is the genuine Tale.
Wausau, it proved, had some really impressive possum politicians from the early '80s. Here are two factors they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the primary Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led on the setting up of the monument along Point out Highway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even obtained The usa Congress to promote the possum. Congress joined the pleasurable by the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could have an area to carry its annual Pleasurable Working day and Possum Competition. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, between other things, the festival appeals to Many individuals each year, and in order that they like it.
Time out for a few educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum could be the equivalent lowly animal you get in touch with opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six can do?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and shows its ugly human body only during the night. That's why, whenever you end up within proper place in position Florida, you may hear possum check here hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', therefore it can be straightforward to lure (or shoot) just one.
An inscription for the monument all through Wausau cites the possum's position in giving 'both fur and meals' through the entire generations. It goes onto say: 'Their existence listed here has offered an origin of nutritious and flavorful foods in normal periods and it has been a major aid to human survival when in distress and significant have to have.'
Laugh If you need. The people today of Wausau will laugh together with you - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.