There is a position in Florida that constructed a 12-foot-high monument in the course of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone desire to accomplish that?
Properly, to start, heroes are difficult to have on this spend Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, house of lower than five hundred persons all through Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero to put it mildly? Nobody else puts the possum about a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, in 1982, Wausau acquired fed up with becoming disregarded from the Florida lists of enjoyment, fairs and festivals. Each and every set set up Florida demands a Competition. And not just one commit Florida contains a Possum Festival. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have not visited Washington County, you probably will think I'm making this up. Should you have attended Washington County, you can expect to recognize - and know It's a legitimate Tale.
Wausau, it turned out, experienced some pretty potent possum politicians in the early '80s. Listed below are a handful of matters they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led for the making with the monument alongside Point out Freeway 77 in Wausau.
They even bought The us Congress in promoting the possum. Congress joined the exciting through delivering the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a site to carry its yearly Pleasurable Day and Possum Pageant. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other factors, the Pageant attracts 1000s of men and women each and every year, and in order that they like it.
Day out for a few educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum is the identical lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 can do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its unattractive body only at nighttime. This is exactly why, when you are within the proper put in position Florida, it is click here possible to hear possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so Will probably be easy seize (or shoot) one.
An inscription about the monument in the course of Wausau cites the possum's part in giving 'both fur and foods' all over the centuries. It goes on say: 'Their presence right here has offered a useful resource of nutritious and flavorful food items in standard moments and has been a crucial assist to human survival when in distress and important want.'
Snicker if you like. The individuals of Wausau will chortle together with you - although downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.