There is a set in place Florida that crafted a 12-foot-higher monument in the middle of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any individual would like to perform that?
Perfectly, to get started with, heroes are challenging to discover in just this spend Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, house of beneath five hundred individuals in the course of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero as you'd probably hope? Nobody else puts the possum over a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, back again in 1982, Wausau received Fed up with becoming neglected during the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Each and every area in Florida requires a Competition. And not one particular spend Florida contains a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you have not attended Washington County, you most likely will Assume I am causeing this to become up. When you've got absent to Washington County, you are going to comprehend - and know this is a legitimate Tale.
Wausau, it turned out, had some really strong possum politicians in early '80s. Here are a couple of issues they achieved:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the First Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led on the making Together with the monument alongside Point out Highway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even bought The usa Congress to current market the possum. Congress joined the exciting by offering the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could have a location to carry its yearly Enjoyment Working day and Possum Competition. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among other issues, the festival appeals to tons of men and women each year, and in order that they love it.
Outing for a lot of educating of Northerners listed here. The South's possum is definitely the equivalent lowly animal you contact opossum, (Why use seven letters when 6 will do?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its hideous overall body only during the night time. This is why, while you are in the correct put in Florida, you can hear possum hunters' puppies baying read more and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', so it's simple capture (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription in regards to the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's job in offering 'each fur and food' throughout the generations. It goes to say: 'Their presence right here has furnished an origin of nutritious and flavorful foods in usual times and possesses been a major assistance to human survival in moments of distress and significant want.'
Laugh If you'd like. The people today of Wausau will giggle along with you - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.