There is a place in Florida that built a twelve-foot-significant monument in the center of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody want to do that?
Well, to start with, heroes are difficult to receive with this place in position Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, dwelling of underneath five hundred individuals in the midst of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero to mention the the very least? Nobody else puts the possum over a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, again in 1982, Wausau obtained Sick and tired of remaining ignored within the Florida lists of enjoyment, fairs and festivals. Each place in place Florida desires a festival. Instead of a single set in place Florida contains a Possum Pageant. Why don't you Wausau?
If you've never gone to Washington County, you probably will Feel I am causeing this to become up. If you have attended Washington County, you are going to have an understanding of - and know this is a genuine Tale.
Wausau, it proved, had some really powerful possum politicians in early '80s. Listed here are certain things they completed:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the pretty initially Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to the creating with the monument along Condition Freeway 77 in Wausau.
They even got The usa Congress to advertise the possum. Congress joined the exciting as a result of offering the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could have a more info spot to aid its yearly Enjoyment Day and Possum Festival. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, between other matters, the Pageant attracts lots of individuals each year, they usually adore it.
Time out for loads of educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum will be the identical lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and reveals its unsightly entire body only at nighttime. That is why, once you end up from the suitable invest Florida, you'll be able to hear possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by canines, the possum 'freezes', so it really is not so hard to trap (or shoot) a person.
An inscription around the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's purpose in offering 'each fur and food stuff' all over the hundreds of years. It goes on say: 'Their presence listed here has delivered a useful resource of nutritious and flavorful food items in normal instances and it's got been a crucial assistance to human survival in instances of distress and critical have to have.'
Giggle if you like. The individuals of Wausau will chortle as well as you - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.