There is a place in Florida that constructed a 12-foot-significant monument in the middle of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would everyone have to do that?
Very well, to get started on, heroes acquire effort and time to obtain within just this devote Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, dwelling of below five hundred people in the guts of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero understandably? Nobody else puts the possum around the pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, back again in 1982, Wausau acquired Unwell and tired with remaining neglected Using the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Each individual area in Florida requires a Pageant. Rather than one location in Florida contains a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you've never ever gone to Washington County, you probably will Consider I'm causeing this to become up. In case you have attended Washington County, you are going to recognize - and know it is a legitimate Tale.
Wausau, it ended up, had some pretty impressive possum politicians from the early '80s. Allow me to share a couple of items they completed:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led for the setting up from the monument together Condition Highway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even bought America Congress to sector the possum. Congress joined the enjoyable by the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could have a site to carry its once-a-year Pleasurable Working day and Possum Pageant. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, between other items, the Competition attracts thousands of persons annually, and so they come across it irresistible.
Trip for loads of educating of Northerners here. The South's possum may be the identical lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six will do?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and reveals its unappealing overall body only at nighttime. That's why, when you find yourself In the suitable make investments Florida, you are able to hear possum hunters' puppies click here baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so it can be simple sufficient to lure (or shoot) one.
An inscription about the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's function in supplying 'each fur and food' in the hundreds of years. It goes on to say: 'Their presence in this article has furnished an origin of nutritious and flavorful food in usual instances and consists of been An important help to human survival a great deal more distress and important require.'
Giggle in the event you'd favor. The folks of Wausau will giggle as well as you - though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.