There's a set set up Florida that created a 12-foot-substantial monument in the course of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone desire to do that?
Well, to begin, heroes are hard to investigation with this devote Florida - the Panhandle money of scotland- Wausau, residence of under 500 individuals in the middle of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero understandably? Nobody else puts the possum within the pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, in 1982, Wausau received Fed up with staying overlooked Together with the Florida lists of enjoyment, fairs and festivals. Each and every location in Florida wants a festival. And never 1 spend Florida provides a Possum Festival. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have not been to Washington County, you almost certainly will Believe I'm producing this up. Should you have frequented Washington County, you may comprehend - and know this is a genuine Tale.
Wausau, it wound up, had some very potent possum politicians in early '80s. Here are a pair of matters they attained:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led towards the constructing in the monument alongside Point out Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even bought The us Congress to promote the possum. Congress joined the entertaining by offering the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may have a site to help keep its once-a-year Enjoyable Day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among the other things, the festival attracts Lots of people Every single and each and every year, and they also discover it irresistible.
Day trip for a several educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is the same lowly animal you get in touch with opossum, (Why use seven letters when 6 will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and exhibits its unattractive body only at nighttime. This is why, once you end up while in the appropriate put set up Florida, you are able to listen to possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', check here so it's not complicated to capture (or shoot) one.
An inscription over the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's role in furnishing 'equally fur and meals' throughout the generations. It goes onto say: 'Their presence listed here has provided a resource of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in normal situations and possesses been An important enable to human survival when in distress and demanding have to have.'
Chortle if you're keen on. The men and women of Wausau will laugh with you - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.