There's a place in place Florida that developed a 12-foot-higher monument in the center of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any person could possibly like to do that?
Nicely, first off, heroes are hard to come back by within just this spend Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, dwelling of below 500 individuals throughout Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero to state the the very least? No one else puts the possum about the pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, back 1982, Wausau received Ill and fatigued with getting omitted on the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Each put in Florida needs a Competition. And never a person spend Florida includes a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you haven't been to Washington County, you probably will Believe I am causeing this to get up. In case you have frequented Washington County, you will comprehend - and know It is just a correct story.
Wausau, it wound up, experienced some very impressive possum politicians in the course of the early '80s. Listed below are some things they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led towards the making while in the monument alongside Condition Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even acquired The usa Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the entertaining by giving the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a location to support its yearly Enjoyment Day and Possum Festival. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, amid other points, the festival attracts Many individuals yearly, and so they like it.
Day trip For numerous educating of Northerners below. The South's possum is the same lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will do?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and reveals its ugly physique only in the evening. That is why, whenever you end up inside the correct dedicate Florida, you may hear possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', so It truly is simple to entice (or shoot) a single.
An inscription for that monument for the duration of Wausau cites the possum's role in offering 'both equally fur and food' all through Possum removal Mt.Waverly the hundreds of years. It goes to say: 'Their presence right here has offered a resource of nutritious and flavorful food stuff in ordinary times and includes been a vital support to human survival much more distress and important need.'
Chortle in the event you'd like. The people today of Wausau will giggle along - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.