There's a set set up Florida that created a twelve-foot-superior monument in the middle of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any individual would like to perform that?
Nicely, to start with, heroes are tricky to have on this make investments Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, property of underneath five hundred individuals in the guts of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero To place it mildly? Nobody else places the possum in excess of a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, in 1982, Wausau obtained fed up with getting disregarded from the Florida lists of pleasurable, fairs and festivals. Each and every area in Florida would like a festival. Instead of just one location in Florida features a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you haven't been to Washington County, you probably will Assume I am earning this up. When you've got attended Washington County, you may recognize - and know It's a legitimate story.
Wausau, it turned out, experienced some quite potent possum politicians in the early '80s. Here's some things they achieved:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the incredibly initial Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led for the setting up in the monument alongside Point out Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even received The us Congress to marketplace the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by offering the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would've a locale to carry its annual Fun Working day and Possum Pageant. That includes a queen website contest and possum auction, amongst other issues, the festival appeals to Many individuals yearly, and Additionally they love it.
Outing to get a several educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum is the similar lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and demonstrates its unsightly human body only during the night time. That's why, when you're throughout the suitable invest Florida, you can listen to possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so It will likely be quick to capture (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription within the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's role in giving 'the two fur and food' in the complete generations. It goes to say: 'Their presence below has provided a source of nutritious and flavorful foods in regular times and it has been An important assist to human survival when in distress and demanding require.'
Chortle If you prefer. The people today of Wausau will giggle as well as you - though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.