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

There is a dedicate Florida that developed a twelve-foot-significant monument through city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would everyone desire to perform that?
Nicely, first off, heroes take effort and time to search out with this make investments Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, home of less than five hundred individuals in the middle of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero understandably? No one else puts the possum over the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, very last 1982, Wausau got fed up with remaining neglected Along with the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Each and every put in Florida needs a Competition. Rather than a person commit Florida carries a Possum Competition. Why don't you Wausau?
If you've got under no circumstances absent to Washington County, you probably will think I'm making this up. When you have frequented Washington County, you may understand - and know This is a accurate story.
Wausau, it ended up, experienced some very potent possum politicians noisy . '80s. Here are two items they achieved:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led to your creating on the monument alongside Point out Highway 77 in Wausau.

They even obtained The us Congress to advertise the possum. Congress joined the fun by the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could have a place to carry its yearly Enjoyment Working day and Possum Pageant. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, between other things, the Competition draws in Many individuals yearly, they usually locate it irresistible.
Time out for many educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is definitely the identical lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six will perform?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its ugly human body only during the night time. That's why, If you're in the right devote Florida, you can hear possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so It can be straightforward seize (or shoot) just one.
An inscription throughout the monument in the course of Wausau cites the possum's role in providing 'both of those fur and foodstuff' throughout the overall centuries. It goes to say: 'Their presence listed here has furnished a resource of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in normal occasions and possesses been an important aid to human survival when in distress and critical want.'
Chortle if you like. The people today of Wausau will here snicker along - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.