There's a devote Florida that crafted a 12-foot-higher monument in the center of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody could like to do that?
Very well, to get started with, heroes are tricky to come by inside of this dedicate Florida - the Panhandle money of scotland - Wausau, household of much less than five hundred individuals in the center of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero to put it mildly? No person else puts the possum over a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, in 1982, Wausau received fed up with remaining omitted with the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Each individual position in Florida desires a festival. And not one particular make investments Florida features a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you have never attended Washington County, you most likely will Consider I am creating this up. For those who have frequented Washington County, you can understand - and know it is a true Tale.
Wausau, it ended up, had some fairly highly effective possum politicians in early '80s. Listed below are two things they completed:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the Preliminary Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to your making in the monument together State Freeway 77 in Wausau.
They even received The usa Congress in advertising and marketing the possum. Congress joined the fun by supplying the money check here for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a place to guidance its annual Fun Day and Possum Pageant. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other factors, the Pageant attracts loads of men and women on a yearly basis, and in order that they find it irresistible.
Time out for many educating of Northerners here. The South's possum may be the equivalent lowly animal you phone opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and demonstrates its hideous overall body only at night. This is why, If you're Within the correct place set up Florida, it is possible to listen to possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by canines, the possum 'freezes', so It is not complicated to entice (or shoot) one.
An inscription throughout the monument in the course of Wausau cites the possum's job in offering 'both of those fur and meals' through the complete centuries. It goes on say: 'Their existence below has delivered an origin of nutritious and flavorful meals in regular occasions and possesses been a crucial help to human survival a lot more distress and important need to have.'
Laugh if you like. The people today of Wausau will chuckle together - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.