An area in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum

There is a invest Florida that designed a 12-foot-substantial monument in the heart of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any person could possibly like to do that?
Effectively, to start, heroes just take effort and time to come back by on this spend Florida - the Panhandle metropolis of Wausau, household of fewer than five hundred persons in the course of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero to put it mildly? Nobody else puts the possum about the pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, back again in 1982, Wausau bought Sick and tired of becoming ignored in the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Every single position in Florida requires a Pageant. Rather than 1 put in Florida encompasses a Possum Festival. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have not gone to Washington County, you almost certainly will think I'm Consequently, earning this up. When you've got been to Washington County, you'll recognize - and know This can be the real Tale.
Wausau, it proved, had some pretty strong possum politicians in the early '80s. Allow me to share a set of points they accomplished:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led into the building from the monument together Condition Freeway 77 in Wausau.

They even obtained The us Congress to market place the possum. Congress joined the entertaining by offering the funds for Wausau's Possum here Palace so Wausau would've a area to assist its yearly Fun Working day and Possum Competition. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, among the other things, the Competition draws in Many people Every and every year, as well as they adore it.
Day trip for plenty of educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you phone opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six will do?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and demonstrates its unpleasant entire body only at night. This is exactly why, when you find yourself inside the correct set set up Florida, you can listen to possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so It is simple enough to lure (or shoot) just one.
An inscription regarding the monument through Wausau cites the possum's function in offering 'equally fur and food' with the centuries. It goes on to say: 'Their existence listed here has provided a source of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in standard periods and incorporates been an essential help to human survival considerably more distress and demanding require.'
Snicker when you'd like. The persons of Wausau will snicker together with you - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.