There's a place set up Florida that built a twelve-foot-significant monument in the midst of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody could possibly love to do that?
Very well, to start with, heroes consider effort and time to come by inside of this devote Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, dwelling of below 500 people in the guts of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero to mention the least? Nobody else puts the possum on a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, back again 1982, Wausau bought Sick and tired of being disregarded Along with the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Just about every set in place Florida demands a Competition. Rather than just one invest Florida incorporates a Possum Pageant. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have not visited Washington County, you almost certainly will Assume I am So, producing this up. For those who have long gone to Washington County, you can expect to recognize - and know this can be a accurate story.
Wausau, it wound up, had some fairly highly effective possum politicians during the early '80s. Here's some things they achieved:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the pretty 1st Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led into the building from the monument along Condition Freeway 77 in Wausau.
They even got America Congress to publicize the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a location to guidance its yearly Enjoyment Working day and Possum Pageant. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other factors, the festival attracts heaps of individuals annually, and In addition they like it.
Day trip For most educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 can perform?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its unappealing physique only at nighttime. This is exactly why, if you find yourself within the proper position in Florida, you'll be able to hear possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', hence it is actually not so hard to catch (or shoot) a single.
An inscription regarding the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's purpose in providing 'equally fur and food stuff' in the total generations. It goes onto say: 'Their presence listed here has provided a source of nutritious and flavorful food items in normal instances and possesses been a crucial assist to human survival when in distress and significant need to have.'
Chortle if you prefer. The individuals of Wausau will chortle along - even website though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.