There's a dedicate Florida that crafted a twelve-foot-high monument all through town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any individual would like to accomplish that?
Effectively, to start with off, heroes are tricky to discover During this invest Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, property of lower than 500 individuals in the middle of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero to state the minimum? No one else places the possum in excess of a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, past 1982, Wausau obtained fed up with becoming ignored from the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Each individual commit Florida needs a Pageant. And never just one spend Florida carries a Possum Competition. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have never ever visited Washington County, you almost certainly will think I'm making this up. Should you have attended Washington County, you will comprehend - and know this is the real story.
Wausau, it turned out, experienced some pretty strong possum politicians inside the early '80s. Allow me to share two points they accomplished:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the quite to start with Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led to the building within the monument alongside Point out Highway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even acquired the United States more info Congress to advertise the possum. Congress joined the exciting by offering the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may need a area to aid its once-a-year Fun Working day and Possum Competition. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other issues, the festival appeals to Lots of individuals Each individual and on a yearly basis, and they also adore it.
Day out for many educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you phone opossum, (Why use seven letters when six can do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and exhibits its unpleasant entire body only during the night time. This is why, For anyone who is in the ideal place set up Florida, it is possible to listen to possum hunters' puppies baying and barking. Treed by canines, the possum 'freezes', so it can be not tough seize (or shoot) a single.
An inscription over the monument all through Wausau cites the possum's purpose in furnishing 'both fur and food' through the entire hundreds of years. It goes to say: 'Their presence below has offered an origin of nutritious and flavorful food items in standard occasions and it has been an important guide to human survival in instances of distress and important want.'
Giggle if you'd favor. The persons of Wausau will chortle alongside - although downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.