There's a place in Florida that developed a twelve-foot-higher monument in the center of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone may possibly love to do that?
Nicely, to start with, heroes are complicated to acquire on this invest Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, home of under 500 folks in the midst of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero To place it mildly? No person else places the possum around a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, back again 1982, Wausau got Unwell and exhausted with currently being ignored of the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Each and every area in Florida would like a Pageant. And not 1 area in Florida includes a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you haven't absent to Washington County, you almost certainly will Believe I'm producing this up. In case you have long gone to Washington County, you are going to understand - and know It is just a correct Tale.
Wausau, it proved, had some quite impressive possum politicians in the early '80s. Listed below are a few issues they accomplished:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the really very first Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led on the making inside the monument along State Freeway 77 in Wausau.
They even acquired Possum removal Glen iris The us Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the pleasurable by delivering the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may have a place to assist its yearly Enjoyable Working day and Possum Festival. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, between other issues, the Competition attracts lots of men and women on a yearly basis, and so they love it.
Trip to get a couple educating of Northerners listed here. The South's possum is identical lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use seven letters when 6 will do?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and shows its unpleasant overall body only at night. That is why, If you're in the proper place in position Florida, it is possible to hear possum hunters' canines baying and barking. Treed by canines, the possum 'freezes', so it's quick to trap (or shoot) 1.
An inscription within the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's position in providing 'both equally fur and foods' from the hundreds of years. It goes on say: 'Their presence listed here has delivered a resource of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in normal instances and it's been an essential assistance to human survival when in distress and critical have to have.'
Giggle If you would like. The people today of Wausau will snicker along with you - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.