There's a invest Florida that crafted a 12-foot-high monument in the course of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any individual need to do that?
Very well, initial off, heroes are tricky to locate with this particular place set up Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, property of underneath 500 persons in the center of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero understandably? Nobody else places the possum with a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, back 1982, Wausau bought Unwell and Bored with becoming overlooked through the Florida lists of entertaining, fairs and festivals. Each and every place in Florida desires a Pageant. Rather than 1 commit Florida includes a Possum Festival. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have not been to Washington County, you most likely will Assume I'm thus, creating this up. When you've got gone to Washington County, you will comprehend - and know that is a true story.
Wausau, it ended up, had some pretty potent possum politicians noisy . '80s. Here's a few factors they attained:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led towards the constructing of your monument together Condition Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even received click here America Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a place to hold its annual Enjoyable Day and Possum Festival. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among other items, the festival appeals to Many of us Every and annually, and so they adore it.
Time out For numerous educating of Northerners listed here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you contact opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will almost certainly do?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and reveals its ugly physique only during the night. That's why, when you are in the right place in Florida, you may listen to possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so it's effortless seize (or shoot) 1.
An inscription throughout the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's job in offering 'the two fur and food items' all through the centuries. It goes to say: 'Their existence right here has furnished a resource of nutritious and flavorful food stuff in normal instances and possesses been a significant help to human survival when in distress and important will need.'
Chuckle if you like. The people today of Wausau will chuckle together with you - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.