There's a area in Florida that created a twelve-foot-higher monument for the duration of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody might like to do that?
Very well, to begin with, heroes are hard to come by With this put set up Florida - the Panhandle metropolis of Wausau, property of fewer than five hundred individuals in the center of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero to say the minimum? Nobody else places the possum to the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, final 1982, Wausau acquired fed up with becoming disregarded in the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Every spot in Florida needs a Pageant. Rather than one devote Florida incorporates a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you've under no circumstances been to Washington County, you probably will Consider I'm generating this up. Should you have absent to Washington County, you may recognize - and know This is actually the true Tale.
Wausau, it turned out, had some fairly potent possum politicians in early '80s. Allow me to share some things they attained:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led for the setting up in the monument alongside Point out Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even got The us Congress in marketing the possum. Congress joined the enjoyable by means of offering the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a place to carry its once-a-year Enjoyment Working day and Possum Pageant. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other items, the festival appeals to a lot of men and women Every check here single and yearly, furthermore they love it.
Outing for many educating of Northerners here. The South's possum could be the equivalent lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will do?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its ugly entire body only during the night. That's why, when you're within suitable dedicate Florida, it is possible to listen to possum hunters' puppies baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', so it's not tough to hook (or shoot) 1.
An inscription about the monument in the guts of Wausau cites the possum's part in delivering 'the two fur and meals' throughout the complete centuries. It goes on to say: 'Their presence in this article has furnished a source of nutritious and flavorful foods in typical instances and has been a substantial help to human survival in the course of periods of distress and important want.'
Giggle if you want. The people today of Wausau will laugh together with you - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.