There is a location in Florida that crafted a 12-foot-substantial monument in the middle of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would everyone desire to perform that?
Properly, to get started on, heroes are hard to investigation using this type of set set up Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, home of much less than five hundred persons in the course of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero as you'll anticipate? No one else places the possum within the pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, again in 1982, Wausau obtained sick and Uninterested in getting omitted Using the Florida lists of pleasurable, fairs and festivals. Every spot in Florida requires a Pageant. And not 1 commit Florida features a Possum Festival. Why don't you Wausau?
If you've never attended Washington County, you almost certainly will Consider I am Hence, earning this up. If you have gone to Washington County, you can expect to realize - and know This may be a correct story.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some quite strong possum politicians through the early '80s. Here's a pair of issues they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the primary Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led into the constructing inside the monument alongside State Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even bought the United States Congress to marketplace the possum. Congress joined the enjoyable by furnishing the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may have a place to hold its yearly Pleasurable Day and Possum Pageant. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other factors, the Competition attracts A large number of people today annually, they usually adore it.
Outing for some educating of Northerners below. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 can perform?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in here trees and demonstrates its unsightly overall body only during the night. This is exactly why, when you are inside the ideal dedicate Florida, you could hear possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so it is uncomplicated to capture (or shoot) just one.
An inscription within the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's function in giving 'both fur and foods' throughout the overall generations. It goes to say: 'Their presence right here has offered a useful resource of nutritious and flavorful food stuff in ordinary situations and possesses been an important support to human survival throughout situations of distress and demanding have to have.'
Giggle if you're keen on. The individuals of Wausau will giggle together with you - although downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.