There's a commit Florida that designed a 12-foot-superior monument in the center of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone may like to do that?
Very well, initial off, heroes are difficult to come by on this spot in Florida - the Panhandle metropolis of Wausau, residence of less than 500 persons all through Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero as you'll count on? No person else places the possum which has a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, again in 1982, Wausau got sick and Uninterested in getting omitted of your Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Every single dedicate Florida needs a Competition. Rather than one particular put in place Florida includes a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you haven't absent to Washington County, you probably will Assume I'm So, earning this up. If you have frequented Washington County, you'll understand - and know this can be a real story.
Wausau, it turned out, experienced some pretty powerful possum politicians while in the early '80s. Here i will discuss a pair of issues they attained:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August more info as Possum Working day in Florida. That led into the making on the monument together State Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even obtained the United States Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by supplying the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may need a place to maintain its annual Enjoyable Day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among other matters, the Competition attracts thousands of people annually, furthermore they like it.
Time out for some educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum would be the similar lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will accomplish?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and demonstrates its unattractive entire body only during the night. This is why, once you end up Within the correct commit Florida, you'll be able to listen to possum hunters' canines baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so It is really simple seize (or shoot) a single.
An inscription within the monument in the guts of Wausau cites the possum's part in supplying 'both equally fur and foods' through the total generations. It goes on to say: 'Their existence here has presented an origin of nutritious and flavorful food in typical periods and it's been an important aid to human survival in moments of distress and important need.'
Laugh in case you'd choose. The people today of Wausau will chortle with you - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.