There is a place set up Florida that created a twelve-foot-higher monument throughout city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody ought to do that?
Well, initially off, heroes are difficult to find within this dedicate Florida - the Panhandle money of scotland - Wausau, house of a lot less than 500 people through Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero to put it mildly? No person else puts the possum about a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, in 1982, Wausau obtained fed up with being ignored within the Florida lists of entertaining, fairs and festivals. Each position in Florida would like a Pageant. And not one invest Florida includes a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you've by no means attended Washington County, you almost certainly will Consider I am Therefore, earning this up. When you've got visited Washington County, you can comprehend - and know This may be a correct story.
Wausau, it turned out, experienced some fairly strong possum politicians throughout the early '80s. Allow me to share two or three things they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led towards the developing While using the monument along Condition Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even acquired America Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the pleasurable by the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a region to maintain its once-a-year Fun Working day and Possum Competition. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, amid other points, the Pageant draws in Many of us each year, and so they obtain it irresistible.
Outing For most educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is comparable lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will complete?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and demonstrates its ugly human body only in the evening. This is why, when you are in the ideal devote Florida, you can listen to possum hunters' canines baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', website so It'll be uncomplicated to capture (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription on the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's purpose in providing 'the two fur and foodstuff' through the complete hundreds of years. It goes to say: 'Their presence here has supplied a source of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in standard moments and includes been an important support to human survival when in distress and important want.'
Snicker In order for you. The men and women of Wausau will snicker in addition to you - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.