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

There is a area in Florida that created a twelve-foot-higher monument in the course of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody would like to perform that?
Very well, to get started on, heroes just take time and effort to study On this area in Florida - the Panhandle money of scotland - Wausau, residence of much less than five hundred individuals in the middle of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero understandably? No one else puts the possum having a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, past 1982, Wausau received sick and worn out with remaining overlooked With all the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Every single make investments Florida demands a Competition. And never one particular area in Florida carries a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you have not frequented Washington County, you most likely will Believe I'm making this up. When you've got gone to Washington County, you can realize - and know This may be a real story.
Wausau, it proved, had some rather highly effective possum politicians through the early '80s. Here's a couple of issues they accomplished:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led into the making Using the monument together State Highway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even received The usa Congress to promote the possum. Congress joined the entertaining by supplying the money for Possum removal Brighton Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would have a spot to assist its yearly Pleasurable Day and Possum Festival. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, between other items, the festival draws in Countless persons annually, they usually like it.
Outing for a several educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum is the same lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will almost certainly do?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and shows its unpleasant overall body only at night. That's why, When you are inside of ideal put set up Florida, you can hear possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so It will likely be uncomplicated to capture (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription on the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's purpose in furnishing 'each fur and foodstuff' through the centuries. It goes onto say: 'Their existence listed here has presented a useful resource of nutritious and flavorful food items in ordinary periods and it's got been An important aid to human survival when in distress and critical need.'
Giggle if you want. The people of Wausau will chuckle with you - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.