There's a devote Florida that developed a 12-foot-significant monument in the middle of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would everyone need to do that?
Nicely, to start with, heroes are hard to obtain on this place in place Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, household of under five hundred people through Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero to mention the the very least? No one else places the possum on the pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, final 1982, Wausau bought Unwell and exhausted with staying overlooked from the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Every single devote Florida desires a Pageant. Rather than a person place in Florida features a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you've got never been to Washington County, you most likely will Feel I'm making this up. Should you have been to Washington County, you'll understand - and know it is a genuine story.
Wausau, it turned out, had some really highly effective possum politicians throughout the early '80s. Here are several issues they completed:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led on the building Together with the monument along State Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even acquired The usa Congress in advertising and marketing the possum. Congress joined the fun by providing the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might need a locale to help keep its once-a-year Enjoyment Working day and Possum Pageant. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among other things, the Competition draws in Lots of people Just about every and each and every year, and so here they adore it.
Trip for loads of educating of Northerners listed here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six can perform?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and displays its unattractive entire body only at nighttime. That's why, when you're in the proper commit Florida, it is possible to listen to possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', so It really is not so complicated seize (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription regarding the monument in the midst of Wausau cites the possum's purpose in delivering 'both fur and foodstuff' through the generations. It goes onto say: 'Their existence here has supplied a supply of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in standard instances and it's been A necessary assist to human survival when in distress and important have to have.'
Snicker if you want. The folks of Wausau will chuckle together with you - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.