A spot in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum

There's a place set up Florida that crafted a 12-foot-high monument in the heart of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any individual want to do that?
Nicely, to start with, heroes are difficult for getting using this type of set in position Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, dwelling of under five hundred persons in the heart of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero to mention the the very least? No person else puts the possum over a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, back again in 1982, Wausau acquired sick and Uninterested in currently being omitted While using the Florida lists of entertaining, fairs and festivals. Each individual commit Florida demands a Competition. Rather than a single put in place Florida incorporates a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you have not frequented Washington County, you most likely will think I'm creating this up. When you've got attended Washington County, you can expect to comprehend - and know it is a accurate Tale.
Wausau, it turned out, had some pretty impressive possum politicians noisy . '80s. Listed here are a set of items they attained:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the very first Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led on the making in the monument alongside Point out Highway 77 in Wausau.

They even bought The us Congress to promote the possum. Congress joined the exciting by the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a region to maintain its annual Exciting Day and Possum Festival. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among the other issues, the festival appeals to Many here individuals on a yearly basis, and so they come across it irresistible.
Outing For most educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is analogous lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will complete?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and demonstrates its unsightly human body only during the night time. That's why, if you are in the right devote Florida, you can listen to possum hunters' puppies baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', so It will probably be not tricky to capture (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription within the monument all through Wausau cites the possum's position in furnishing 'both fur and foods' from the full centuries. It goes to say: 'Their presence right here has offered a useful resource of nutritious and flavorful food items in usual periods and has been a significant assistance to human survival when in distress and critical will need.'
Chuckle for those who'd choose. The people today of Wausau will chuckle coupled with you - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.