An area in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum

There's a invest Florida that created a 12-foot-superior monument in the center of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would everyone may well like to do that?
Properly, to begin with, heroes just take time and effort to exploration During this place in position Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, household of less than 500 individuals in the midst of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero as you'd probably hope? No one else places the possum over the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, in 1982, Wausau obtained Ill and exhausted with currently being omitted with the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Each location in Florida requires a Competition. Rather than a single spend Florida carries a Possum Competition. Why don't you Wausau?
If you haven't gone to Washington County, you most likely will Imagine I am As a result, earning this up. In case you have attended Washington County, you can understand - and know this can be a genuine story.
Wausau, it turned out, experienced some rather highly effective possum politicians over the early '80s. Here's certain things they accomplished:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the quite initial Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led on the developing inside the monument together State Highway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even got The us Congress in advertising and marketing the possum. Congress joined the enjoyable by giving the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may need a location to keep its once-a-year Enjoyment Day and Possum Festival. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, amid other factors, the Competition draws in Countless men and women annually, and Additionally they like it.
Trip for some educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is definitely the identical lowly animal you get in touch with opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six is going to do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and shows its unappealing human body only at night. This is exactly why, For anyone who is inside here the suitable area in Florida, you could listen to possum hunters' canines baying and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', so it really is not difficult capture (or shoot) just one.
An inscription for your monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's role in supplying 'each fur and meals' in the complete generations. It goes on say: 'Their presence here has furnished a supply of nutritious and flavorful food items in usual situations and has been a major support to human survival a lot more distress and demanding need.'
Laugh in the event you'd like. The individuals of Wausau will laugh together with you - although downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.