There's a place in Florida that developed a 12-foot-significant monument in the middle of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone want to perform that?
Effectively, 1st off, heroes are really hard to study on this dedicate Florida - the Panhandle money of scotland - Wausau, property of under five hundred individuals in the heart of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero To place it mildly? Nobody else places the possum within the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, back in 1982, Wausau bought Ill and weary with remaining overlooked with the Florida lists of entertaining, fairs and festivals. Each place in Florida would like a festival. And never one dedicate Florida carries a Possum Festival. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have not been to Washington County, you most likely will Imagine I am building this up. For those who have been to Washington County, you will fully grasp - and know this is the correct story.
Wausau, it turned out, experienced some pretty potent possum politicians in the early '80s. Listed here are two items they completed:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the Preliminary Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led to your setting up of your monument along Point out Highway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even received The usa Congress to industry the possum. Congress joined the fun by the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a place to guidance its once-a-year Fun Day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among other issues, the festival appeals to A huge number of folks annually, and In addition they love it.
Time out For a lot of educating of Northerners listed here. The South's possum could be the identical lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and reveals its unsightly overall body only during the night. That is why, when you find yourself in the appropriate devote Florida, you could listen to possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', so it will be not difficult to catch (or shoot) 1.
An inscription on the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's role in furnishing 'equally fur and food' with the generations. It goes to say: 'Their presence below has provided a source of nutritious and flavorful food in typical periods and includes been an important enable to human survival for the duration of periods of distress and critical require.'
Chuckle when you'd want. The men and women of Wausau will giggle together with website you - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.