There is a place in place Florida that designed a 12-foot-higher monument in the course of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any individual wish to perform that?
Well, to begin with, heroes choose effort and time to get on this area in Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, property of under 500 people in the center of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero understandably? No one else places the possum with a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, back 1982, Wausau got fed up with being ignored in the Florida lists of entertaining, fairs and festivals. Every area in Florida requires a Pageant. And never a person set set up Florida has a Possum Pageant. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have not long gone to Washington County, you most likely will Feel I am So, creating this up. When you've got been to Washington County, you are going to have an understanding of - and know this can be a true story.
Wausau, it ended up, had some very potent possum politicians throughout the click here early '80s. Here i will discuss a set of points they attained:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led for the constructing in the monument alongside State Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even obtained the United States Congress in promoting the possum. Congress joined the pleasurable by the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau would've a spot to carry its once-a-year Enjoyable Day and Possum Competition. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among the other matters, the festival appeals to a lot of folks on a yearly basis, additionally they find it irresistible.
Day trip for your handful of educating of Northerners below. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you contact opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will do?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and reveals its unpleasant human body only during the night time. This is why, if you're inside the right set in position Florida, you are able to listen to possum hunters' canines baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', thus it truly is easy to trap (or shoot) a single.
An inscription around the monument all through Wausau cites the possum's job in supplying 'the two fur and foodstuff' through the hundreds of years. It goes onto say: 'Their existence right here has provided an origin of nutritious and flavorful food items in typical times and has been An important support to human survival a lot more distress and demanding need to have.'
Chuckle if you prefer. The persons of Wausau will chortle as well as you - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.