There is a commit Florida that developed a 12-foot-large monument in the center of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone would like to accomplish that?
Properly, to start with, heroes are hard to investigation in just this spend Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, house of fewer than 500 persons in the heart of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero to state the minimum? No person else places the possum around a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, in 1982, Wausau bought tired of getting neglected within the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Each individual area in Florida wants a Pageant. And not one particular invest Florida carries a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you have never attended Washington County, you probably will Assume I am making this up. Should you have frequented Washington County, you will recognize - and know This is a genuine story.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some pretty potent possum politicians noisy . '80s. Allow me to share two points they attained:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the incredibly initial Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. read more That led for the building through the monument alongside Condition Freeway 77 in Wausau.
They even acquired America Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the entertaining by way of furnishing the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could have a region to guidance its once-a-year Enjoyment Working day and Possum Pageant. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, amid other factors, the Pageant attracts Many individuals Just about every and annually, and In addition they locate it irresistible.
Outing for loads of educating of Northerners listed here. The South's possum will be the similar lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will carry out?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and reveals its unsightly overall body only during the night. That is why, any time you end up inside suitable invest Florida, you could hear possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', so it really is simple plenty of to entice (or shoot) one.
An inscription within the monument in the midst of Wausau cites the possum's part in supplying 'both equally fur and foodstuff' in the overall generations. It goes to say: 'Their presence here has provided a source of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in typical instances and it has been a vital help to human survival when in distress and significant want.'
Laugh if you prefer. The persons of Wausau will chuckle alongside - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.