There is a dedicate Florida that constructed a twelve-foot-high monument all through town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anyone want to do that?
Perfectly, to begin with, heroes are hard to exploration On this place in position Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, dwelling of much less than five hundred folks in the center of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero To place it mildly? Nobody else puts the possum over a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, back again 1982, Wausau got Ill and tired of staying overlooked While using the Florida lists of enjoyment, fairs and festivals. Each and every make investments Florida demands a Competition. And not just one commit Florida features a Possum Competition. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have in no way been to Washington County, you almost certainly will Assume I am producing this up. In case you have attended Washington County, you will have an understanding of - and know This is a correct Tale.
Wausau, it wound up, experienced some quite powerful possum politicians while in the early '80s. Here's certain things they achieved:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led into the developing from your monument alongside Point out Highway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even obtained The us Congress to promote the possum. Congress joined the entertaining by the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may have an area to help keep its annual Exciting Working day and Possum Competition. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among other items, the Pageant draws in Lots of people yearly, and so they adore it.
Outing for a great deal of educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is identical lowly animal you contact opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 can perform?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and demonstrates its unsightly overall body only during the night. This is exactly why, if you're inside the proper commit Florida, you'll be able to hear possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so It'll be not challenging to catch (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription within the monument through Wausau cites the possum's position in providing 'equally fur and food' through the total centuries. It goes on say: 'Their existence in this article has supplied an origin of nutritious and flavorful meals in regular instances and possesses been an important assist to human survival a Possum removal Brighton great deal more distress and demanding require.'
Chuckle if you want. The folks of Wausau will snicker along - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.