There's a devote Florida that built a 12-foot-significant monument all through town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any individual wish to accomplish that?
Well, to begin, heroes are complicated to research with this devote Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, home of much less than 500 individuals in the center of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero as you would probably assume? Nobody else puts the possum about a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, previous 1982, Wausau got Weary of becoming left out in the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Every single put in Florida desires a festival. Rather than one spend Florida provides a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you have never visited Washington County, you probably will Imagine I am earning this up. In case you have visited Washington County, you can expect to have an understanding of - and know Here is the genuine story.
Wausau, it ended up, experienced some quite effective possum politicians inside the early '80s. Here's a pair of points they achieved:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the first Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led for the setting up Using the monument along Condition Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even received the United States Congress to promote the possum. Congress joined the exciting by giving the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would've a site to carry its annual Entertaining Day and Possum Competition. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among the other matters, the Competition draws in Lots of people each and every year, and In addition they like it.
Trip For most educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum could be the identical lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six will do?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and shows its unpleasant system only during the night. That is why, when you're inside the appropriate place in place Florida, you may listen to possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so It can be not hard to lure (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription throughout the monument all through Wausau cites the possum's purpose in supplying 'each fur and meals' over the full generations. It goes on say: 'Their existence here has delivered an origin of nutritious and flavorful foods in ordinary occasions and has been an essential assist to human survival during occasions of distress and important need.'
Chortle if you like. The men and women of Wausau will click here chuckle together - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.