An area in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum

There is a place in Florida that crafted a 12-foot-large monument in the center of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody could possibly like to do that?
Nicely, to begin with, heroes are difficult to get in this devote Florida - the Panhandle funds of scotland- Wausau, dwelling of much less than 500 folks in the center of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero understandably? Nobody else places the possum using a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, final 1982, Wausau bought Unwell and Sick and tired of staying overlooked from the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Every single devote Florida requires a Pageant. And not a single location in Florida features a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you have never long gone to Washington County, you almost certainly will Imagine I am So, earning this up. When you have frequented Washington County, you may recognize - and know it is a accurate Tale.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some rather potent possum politicians in early '80s. Allow me to share two points they attained:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the first Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led on the setting up from the monument alongside Point out Highway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even obtained The us Congress to promote the possum. Congress joined the entertaining by the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may have an area to hold its yearly Entertaining Working day and Possum Pageant. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among other factors, the festival appeals to many people on a yearly basis, and so they like it.
Outing for many educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum may 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 shows its unsightly system only during the night. That is why, any time you end up during the ideal put in position Florida, you could listen to possum hunters' puppies baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so It truly is uncomplicated plenty of capture (or shoot) a person.
An inscription for your monument during Wausau cites the possum's function in delivering 'both fur and food' throughout the hundreds of years. It goes to say: 'Their existence listed here has provided an origin of nutritious and flavorful Possum Catcher Melbourne food items in ordinary occasions and possesses been a vital aid to human survival much more distress and significant require.'
Chortle if you're keen on. The people of Wausau will chortle alongside - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.