A Place in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum

There is a put in position Florida that created a twelve-foot-significant monument in the course of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would everyone want to accomplish that?
Effectively, to start with off, heroes are difficult to come back by with this particular set in place Florida - the Panhandle funds of scotland- Wausau, household of under 500 folks in the midst of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero to state the the very least? No one else puts the possum by using a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, back again 1982, Wausau acquired fed up with getting ignored with the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Every single make investments Florida requires a Competition. Instead of a person put in place Florida includes a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you've got under no circumstances attended Washington County, you most likely will Imagine I am causeing this for being up. For those who have been to Washington County, you can expect to have an understanding of - and know This is a real story.
Wausau, it turned out, had some really effective possum politicians in the early '80s. Listed below are two factors they completed:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led on the making in the monument alongside Point out Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even got The us Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the pleasurable by providing the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would have a location to assistance its once-a-year Enjoyable Working day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other issues, the festival draws in Lots of people annually, and Additionally they like it.
Day trip for your handful of educating of Northerners below. The South's possum may be the similar lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six will do?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and exhibits its unattractive system only during the night. That is why, when you find yourself In the ideal place in place Florida, you'll be able to hear possum hunters' pet dogs website baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', so It is not complicated to lure (or shoot) 1.
An inscription round the monument for the duration of Wausau cites the possum's job in giving 'the two fur and food' in the complete generations. It goes on say: 'Their presence below has provided an origin of nutritious and flavorful food in typical situations and it has been a very important assist to human survival in occasions of distress and critical require.'
Chuckle if you like. The men and women of Wausau will chortle with you - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.