There's a location in Florida that constructed a 12-foot-high monument through town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would everyone want to do that?
Nicely, to begin with, heroes are tricky to find within just this commit Florida - the Panhandle funds of scotland - Wausau, property of a lot less than five hundred individuals in the center of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero to put it mildly? No one else puts the possum over a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, again 1982, Wausau bought Unwell and Sick and tired of getting disregarded within the Florida lists of enjoyment, fairs and festivals. Each dedicate Florida requirements a Competition. Rather than just one put set up Florida features a Possum Festival. Why don't you Wausau?
If you haven't attended Washington County, you most likely will Believe I am building this up. When you've got absent to Washington County, you'll have an understanding of - and know This can be the true story.
Wausau, it ended up, had some very powerful possum politicians while in the early '80s. Listed below are some things they completed:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led on the constructing on the monument along Condition Freeway 77 in Wausau.

They even got America Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by way of providing the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could have a place to aid its annual Entertaining Day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other items, the Pageant attracts 1000s of people annually, furthermore check here they adore it.
Day out for a few educating of Northerners listed here. The South's possum is identical lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use seven letters when six can perform?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its unattractive physique only at nighttime. This is exactly why, when you end up during the appropriate dedicate Florida, you are able to listen to possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so it's not so tough to hook (or shoot) a single.
An inscription for the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's part in giving 'both fur and foods' all over the hundreds of years. It goes onto say: 'Their presence here has provided a resource of nutritious and flavorful food items in usual periods and has been A vital assist to human survival in situations of distress and demanding need.'
Giggle if you want. The men and women of Wausau will snicker together with you - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.