There is a put set up Florida that created a 12-foot-significant monument in the center of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any one could possibly love to do that?
Effectively, to begin with, heroes are complicated to search out With this location in Florida - the Panhandle metropolis of Wausau, residence of less than five hundred persons in the center of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero as you would probably assume? No one else places the possum over a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, past 1982, Wausau bought tired of being disregarded inside the Florida lists of enjoyment, fairs and festivals. Each and every put in place Florida demands a festival. And not a single dedicate Florida contains a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you have never gone to Washington County, you almost certainly will Believe I'm Hence, producing this up. Should you have gone to Washington County, you will comprehend - and know this is the true story.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some fairly powerful possum politicians during the early '80s. Allow me to share a pair of factors they achieved:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led towards the constructing from your monument along State Highway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even acquired The usa Congress in selling the possum. Congress joined the enjoyable by offering the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could have a spot to hold its once-a-year Pleasurable Day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among the other matters, the Competition draws in Many individuals Each individual and each and every year, plus they adore it.
Outing for a great deal of educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is equivalent lowly animal you phone opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will accomplish?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its unappealing physique only in the evening. This is why, if you are Within the proper devote Florida, you may listen to possum hunters' puppies baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', hence it is actually simple enough to hook (or shoot) 1.
An inscription for your monument in the course of Wausau cites the possum's part in providing 'both equally fur and foodstuff' with the full hundreds get more info of years. It goes to say: 'Their presence listed here has provided a source of nutritious and flavorful food in typical situations and it has been An important support to human survival a lot more distress and significant will need.'
Snicker in the event you'd choose. The individuals of Wausau will chuckle together with you - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.