A Place in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum

There is a commit Florida that constructed a twelve-foot-high monument in the middle of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would everyone would like to do that?
Nicely, to get started with, heroes are challenging to analysis within just this place in position Florida - the Panhandle metropolis of Wausau, dwelling of below 500 persons in the guts of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero to put it mildly? No person else places the possum with a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, in 1982, Wausau got Weary of getting neglected With all the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Every single commit Florida wants a festival. Rather than 1 put in Florida carries a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you have not long gone to Washington County, you probably will Consider I am building this up. For those who have gone to Washington County, you can understand - and know This is actually the genuine story.
Wausau, it turned out, experienced some pretty potent possum politicians over the early '80s. Here i will discuss a couple of things they attained:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led for the making from the monument along Point out Highway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even received the United States Congress to promote the possum. Congress joined the entertaining by supplying the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could possibly have an area to carry its once-a-year Pleasurable Day and Possum Competition. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, among the other things, the festival attracts A huge number of persons each year, and so they adore it.
Day out for many educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is analogous lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use seven letters when 6 can do?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and demonstrates its hideous human body only at nighttime. That is why, In case you are inside the appropriate put in Florida, you can hear possum hunters' puppies baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', so it is not so challenging to entice (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription for more info that monument through Wausau cites the possum's part in furnishing 'each fur and meals' in the total centuries. It goes on to say: 'Their presence here has provided a source of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in typical instances and it has been a crucial help to human survival when in distress and important want.'
Laugh if you prefer. The persons of Wausau will giggle along with you - though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.