An area in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum

There is a put set up Florida that designed a twelve-foot-large monument in the center of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone choose to do that?
Very well, to begin with, heroes get time and effort to come by in this area in Florida - the Panhandle cash of scotland- Wausau, dwelling of fewer than 500 people in the midst of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero understandably? Nobody else puts the possum within the pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, back again in 1982, Wausau bought Unwell and exhausted with currently being overlooked Together with the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Each individual devote Florida requires a Pageant. Rather than a person put set up Florida contains a Possum Festival. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have not been to Washington County, you almost certainly will Assume I'm generating this up. In case you have been to Washington County, you will have an understanding of - and know it is a genuine Tale.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some fairly highly effective possum politicians within the early '80s. Here's two issues they achieved:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the quite to start with Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led on the constructing on the monument alongside State Highway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even acquired The us Congress to market place the possum. Congress joined the entertaining by supplying the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could have a spot to hold its yearly Enjoyable Day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, amid other matters, the Competition attracts tons of people annually, and In addition they adore it.
Time out for a few educating of Northerners below. The South's possum is the same lowly animal you phone opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees read more and displays its ugly entire body only during the night time. That's why, when you end up inside of ideal devote Florida, you'll be able to hear possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', therefore it is easy more than enough to capture (or shoot) just one.
An inscription within the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's job in delivering 'the two fur and foods' throughout the total centuries. It goes to say: 'Their presence below has supplied an origin of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in usual moments and has been A vital guide to human survival when in distress and significant need to have.'
Laugh if you like. The persons of Wausau will laugh together with you - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.