There is a put in Florida that created a 12-foot-higher monument in the middle of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any individual need to do that?
Nicely, first off, heroes are difficult to come back by Within this place in position Florida - the Panhandle funds of scotland- Wausau, dwelling of lower than 500 persons in the middle of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero to put it mildly? No person else puts the possum in excess of a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, back in 1982, Wausau got Unwell and worn out with currently being overlooked While using the Florida lists of enjoyment, fairs and festivals. Each individual dedicate Florida wants a festival. And never a person make investments Florida includes a Possum Pageant. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have not visited Washington County, you almost certainly will Feel I'm creating this up. When you have absent to Washington County, you are going to recognize - and know This may be a accurate story.
Wausau, it wound up, experienced some rather potent possum politicians in early '80s. Allow me to share a pair of items they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the very first Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led to the constructing While using the monument together Condition Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even received the United States Congress in endorsing the possum. Congress joined the fun by giving the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could possibly have a region to keep its annual Enjoyment Day and Possum Competition. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among the other points, the festival attracts heaps of people per year, and so they love it.
Time out For click here most educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is equivalent lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 can perform?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and displays its hideous entire body only during the night. This is why, if you end up inside the ideal make investments Florida, you are able to hear possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', so It's going to be not so hard capture (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription around the monument during Wausau cites the possum's purpose in giving 'equally fur and foodstuff' with the entire hundreds of years. It goes on to say: 'Their presence in this article has furnished a source of nutritious and flavorful food in usual instances and it has been an important aid to human survival when in distress and important need.'
Laugh if you like. The men and women of Wausau will chortle along - although downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.