A location in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum

There's a devote Florida that crafted a 12-foot-higher monument in the guts of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any one may like to do that?
Perfectly, to start with, heroes just take effort and time to receive With this put in place Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, house of underneath 500 individuals in the center of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero to convey the minimum? Nobody else puts the possum with a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, very last 1982, Wausau got Ill and weary with staying neglected with the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Every single invest Florida requires a Pageant. And never just one place set up Florida contains a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you've got under no circumstances attended Washington County, you most likely will Feel I am building this up. Should you have been to Washington County, you will understand - and know this can be a legitimate Tale.
Wausau, it turned out, had some really strong possum politicians over the early '80s. Listed here are some things they achieved:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to Possum removal Mt.Waverly proclaim the primary Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led for the constructing in the monument along Point out Highway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even bought The usa Congress to publicize the possum. Congress joined the entertaining by way of providing the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could possibly have a location to help its once-a-year Enjoyable Day and Possum Competition. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among the other issues, the festival attracts many people per year, and they adore it.
Trip for a lot of educating of Northerners below. The South's possum is the same lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six will probably do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its unappealing human body only at night. This is why, When you are In the proper set in position Florida, you may hear possum hunters' canines baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', so It'll be not tough to capture (or shoot) just one.
An inscription around the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's function in offering 'both equally fur and meals' in the generations. It goes on to say: 'Their presence below has delivered a resource of nutritious and flavorful foods in usual situations and it has been a vital support to human survival when in distress and important have to have.'
Chortle if you prefer. The people of Wausau will snicker along with you - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.