A spot in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum

There's a spend Florida that crafted a twelve-foot-substantial monument in the center of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone may like to do that?
Perfectly, to begin, heroes acquire time and effort to study On this location in Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, property of under five hundred persons in the center of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero to convey the least? No person else places the possum on the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, past 1982, Wausau received Ill and worn out with being omitted in the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Every single make investments Florida requires a Competition. And never one particular area in Florida carries a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you haven't visited Washington County, you probably will Imagine I'm earning this up. In case you have attended Washington County, you may understand - and know This may be a accurate story.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some fairly strong possum politicians through the early '80s. Here's two matters they attained:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led into the setting up within the monument alongside Condition Freeway 77 in Wausau.

They even obtained the United States Congress in selling the possum. Congress joined the exciting by offering the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would've an area to carry its annual Enjoyment Day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among other points, the festival attracts Many folks per year, and In addition they like it.
Trip for any couple educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is identical lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will almost certainly do?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and exhibits its unappealing system only at night. That is why, if you are inside of ideal put set up Florida, you may hear possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so It truly is very simple adequate to entice (or shoot) a single.
An inscription across the monument all through Wausau cites the possum's role in offering 'equally fur and food stuff' with the complete hundreds of years. It goes to say: 'Their existence listed here has presented a useful resource of nutritious and flavorful food stuff in usual moments and includes been A necessary assist to human survival when in distress and critical will need.'
Laugh website If you prefer. The folks of Wausau will chortle along with you - though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.