There is a place set up Florida that designed a 12-foot-significant monument in the middle of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone would like to perform that?
Well, to get started with, heroes just take effort and time to acquire on this devote Florida - the Panhandle capital of scotland - Wausau, residence of lower than five hundred persons in the heart of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero understandably? No person else places the possum to the pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, in 1982, Wausau acquired Unwell and drained with staying ignored within the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Each commit Florida demands a Competition. Instead of 1 place in position Florida features a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you have by no means been to Washington County, you most likely will Assume I'm causeing this to generally be up. When you have frequented Washington County, you can expect to have an understanding of - and know This is a legitimate Tale.
Wausau, it turned out, had some quite impressive possum politicians through the early '80s. Allow me to share a handful of factors they attained:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led on the creating while in the monument along State Freeway 77 in click here Wausau.

They even bought America Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the exciting by providing the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may need a place to carry its once-a-year Exciting Working day and Possum Competition. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, amid other matters, the festival appeals to Countless men and women yearly, plus they obtain it irresistible.
Day trip for many educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum is equivalent lowly animal you contact opossum, (Why use seven letters when 6 is going to do?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and reveals its unappealing system only in the evening. This is exactly why, if you're within the correct dedicate Florida, you can listen to possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by canines, the possum 'freezes', so It'll be not tough to capture (or shoot) one.
An inscription throughout the monument in the guts of Wausau cites the possum's role in offering 'both of those fur and foods' through the hundreds of years. It goes on say: 'Their existence below has delivered an origin of nutritious and flavorful foods in normal situations and has been A necessary support to human survival during moments of distress and important have to have.'
Chortle if you want. The folks of Wausau will laugh along - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.