A Place in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum

There's a commit Florida that constructed a 12-foot-significant monument in the course of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any person should do that?
Very well, very first off, heroes are difficult to come by Within this place in Florida - the Panhandle funds of scotland - Wausau, property of fewer than 500 folks in the middle of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero as you'd expect? No one else places the possum about the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, back in 1982, Wausau bought fed up with remaining overlooked on the Florida lists of pleasurable, fairs and festivals. Each individual place in Florida would like a festival. And not a person make investments Florida features a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you have in no way attended Washington County, you probably will Assume I am building this up. If you have visited Washington County, you can expect to realize - and know this is the genuine Tale.
Wausau, it ended up, had some quite impressive possum politicians within the early '80s. Here are some things they achieved:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the quite 1st Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led on the creating in the monument alongside Point out Freeway 77 in Wausau.

They even bought the United States Congress to current market the possum. Congress joined the enjoyable by furnishing the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could possibly have a place to keep its annual Entertaining Day and Possum Festival. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among the other things, the Competition draws in many people every year, and so they love it.
Outing For numerous educating of Northerners here. The South's possum will be the equivalent lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use seven letters when 6 will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and exhibits its hideous system only during the night. That's why, For anyone who is inside of suitable place in place Florida, you are able to listen to possum hunters' puppies baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', so it's very simple ample to trap (or shoot) just one.
An inscription around the monument all through Wausau cites the possum's function in delivering 'both of those fur and get more info food' during the entire generations. It goes on say: 'Their presence here has provided an origin of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in standard moments and possesses been a big support to human survival through instances of distress and significant need.'
Giggle in the event you'd desire. The individuals of Wausau will giggle together with you - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.