There's a commit Florida that constructed a 12-foot-superior monument in the center of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone would like to perform that?
Perfectly, very first off, heroes are challenging to have During this make investments Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, household of fewer than five hundred persons through Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero understandably? No person else puts the possum on a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, back in 1982, Wausau bought Unwell and weary with becoming omitted Along with the Florida lists of entertaining, fairs and festivals. Each individual set set up Florida wants a festival. And never one position in Florida has a Possum Festival. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have never long gone to Washington County, you most likely will Consider I'm producing this up. When you've got absent to Washington County, you can have an understanding of - and know This may be a real story.
Wausau, it turned out, experienced some rather potent possum politicians in early '80s. Listed here are two things they attained:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led towards the constructing with the monument alongside Point out Highway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even got the United States Congress to industry the possum. Congress joined the exciting by supplying the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a location to hold its yearly Enjoyable Day and Possum Pageant. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, amid other matters, the festival attracts A large number of men and women per year, plus they uncover it irresistible.
Day trip for a few educating of Northerners here. The South's possum would be the identical lowly more info animal you get in touch with opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will almost certainly do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and exhibits its unattractive physique only at night. This is why, when you're from the correct spend Florida, you can listen to possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', so it is simple to capture (or shoot) one.
An inscription throughout the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's position in offering 'both fur and food items' during the total generations. It goes on say: 'Their existence in this article has offered an origin of nutritious and flavorful food stuff in ordinary occasions and possesses been a vital help to human survival in situations of distress and significant have to have.'
Chuckle if you prefer. The persons of Wausau will laugh together with you - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.