There is a place in position Florida that developed a twelve-foot-superior monument in the middle of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any one would like to perform that?
Effectively, first off, heroes just take time and effort to search out In this particular spend Florida - the Panhandle money of scotland - Wausau, household of beneath five hundred persons in the midst of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero to state the the very least? No person else places the possum around a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, again in 1982, Wausau acquired Ill and Fed up with being ignored while in the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Each individual commit Florida requires a Competition. And never just one set set up Florida includes a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you've never visited Washington County, you almost certainly will Consider I'm Consequently, making this up. For those who have attended Washington County, you will recognize - and know that is a true Tale.
Wausau, it turned out, experienced some very potent possum politicians inside the early '80s. Allow me to share several issues they completed:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the quite to start with Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led for the developing Together with the monument along Point out Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even received The usa Congress to industry the possum. Congress joined the pleasurable through giving the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may have a area to carry its yearly Enjoyment Working day and Possum Competition. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, amid other items, the Pageant attracts thousands of folks Just about every and every year, and they also adore it.
Day out For lots of educating of Northerners here. The South's possum website is similar lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will complete?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and reveals its hideous body only in the evening. This is why, If you're from the suitable put in position Florida, you may listen to possum hunters' puppies baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so it's not hard to trap (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription around the monument during Wausau cites the possum's role in offering 'equally fur and foodstuff' through the hundreds of years. It goes on to say: 'Their existence listed here has furnished an origin of nutritious and flavorful foods in regular times and has been An important aid to human survival far more distress and demanding will need.'
Snicker if you want. The people of Wausau will snicker along with you - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.