There's a location in Florida that designed a 12-foot-significant monument in the heart of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any person want to perform that?
Properly, to start out, heroes consider effort and time to return by in this devote Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, household of less than five hundred people in the middle of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero to put it mildly? No person else puts the possum more than a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, back again in 1982, Wausau acquired tired of getting ignored inside the Florida lists of enjoyment, fairs and festivals. Each put in place Florida needs a Competition. Instead of 1 area in Florida carries a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you have never gone to Washington County, you probably will think I am earning this up. When you've got frequented Washington County, you will realize - and know It's a genuine Tale.
Wausau, it proved, had some pretty impressive possum politicians in early '80s. Here are a pair of things they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the primary Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led into the creating Along with the monument alongside State Highway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even obtained The us Congress to current market the possum. Congress joined the pleasurable by providing the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would have a spot to guidance its yearly Enjoyment Working day and Possum Pageant. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, between other factors, the Pageant attracts thousands of more info persons each and every year, plus they adore it.
Time out for many educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is identical lowly animal you phone opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 can do?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and exhibits its hideous body only at nighttime. This is exactly why, For anyone who is in the correct devote Florida, you are able to listen to possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', so It will probably be not so challenging to hook (or shoot) a single.
An inscription across the monument all through Wausau cites the possum's function in giving 'equally fur and foods' during the overall generations. It goes on to say: 'Their existence below has provided a source of nutritious and flavorful meals in typical situations and is made up of been a crucial help to human survival much more distress and critical want.'
Giggle if you're keen on. The people of Wausau will laugh along - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.