There's a place in Florida that built a twelve-foot-superior monument in the course of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody ought to do that?
Effectively, to begin, heroes are tough to come back by inside this place in Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, household of less than five hundred people in the course of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero understandably? No one else puts the possum more than a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, in 1982, Wausau got Weary of being omitted Along with the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Each individual spend Florida needs a Pageant. And never just one commit Florida carries a Possum Competition. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have not attended Washington County, you almost certainly will Imagine I'm making this up. When you have absent to Washington County, you may recognize - and know This may be a accurate Tale.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some quite potent possum politicians noisy . '80s. Allow me to share two issues they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the Preliminary Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to the constructing of your monument together State Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even got America Congress to market read more place the possum. Congress joined the fun by furnishing the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may have a location to assistance its yearly Enjoyable Day and Possum Festival. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, between other factors, the festival appeals to Many people today yearly, and they also find it irresistible.
Day trip For numerous educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is analogous lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will perform?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its unappealing physique only during the night time. That's why, if you're throughout the proper commit Florida, it is possible to hear possum hunters' puppies baying and barking. Treed by canines, the possum 'freezes', so it really is simple to hook (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription within the monument in the course of Wausau cites the possum's job in delivering 'each fur and food items' all over the centuries. It goes on say: 'Their existence below has offered an origin of nutritious and flavorful foods in usual occasions and has been an important assistance to human survival when in distress and significant want.'
Chuckle for those who'd prefer. The men and women of Wausau will giggle in addition to you - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.