A Place in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum

There is a area in Florida that crafted a twelve-foot-superior monument in the midst of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would everyone need to do that?
Properly, to start with off, heroes are challenging to come by on this commit Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, household of fewer than 500 folks in the midst of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero to say the least? Nobody else puts the possum over a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, back again in 1982, Wausau bought fed up with becoming omitted Along with the Florida lists of pleasurable, fairs and festivals. Every spend Florida wishes a Pageant. And not one particular devote Florida features a Possum Festival. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have not absent to Washington County, you almost certainly will Assume I am Hence, earning this up. When you've got attended Washington County, you may comprehend - and know it is a true Tale.
Wausau, it turned out, experienced some very impressive possum politicians in early '80s. Here's certain things they attained:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led on the creating While using the monument together State Freeway 77 in Wausau.

They even acquired The us Congress to publicize the possum. Congress joined the entertaining by way of providing more info the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could have a region to assist its annual Enjoyable Working day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, among other items, the Pageant draws in many people yearly, and they like it.
Day out for many educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you phone opossum, (Why use seven letters when 6 can perform?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and shows its unattractive physique only during the night. That's why, whenever you end up inside the appropriate devote Florida, you could hear possum hunters' canines baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so It'll be quick to hook (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription round the monument in the guts of Wausau cites the possum's part in supplying 'both fur and meals' through the entire hundreds of years. It goes onto say: 'Their presence right here has provided a useful resource of nutritious and flavorful meals in usual instances and it's got been a major assist to human survival in instances of distress and demanding will need.'
Chuckle If you would like. The men and women of Wausau will chuckle together - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.