There is a dedicate Florida that developed a twelve-foot-high monument in the midst of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any one would like to perform that?
Very well, to get started on, heroes are tough to have on this commit Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, dwelling of below five hundred persons in the midst of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero as you should count on? Nobody else puts the possum on the pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, again in 1982, Wausau got Weary of currently being overlooked inside the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Each individual put in place Florida demands a Pageant. And never a person devote Florida includes a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you have never long gone to Washington County, you most likely will Assume I am causeing this being up. If you have been to Washington County, you can have an understanding of - and know this is the correct Tale.
Wausau, it wound up, had some pretty potent possum politicians noisy . '80s. Here's a pair of factors they completed:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the main Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led towards the creating within the monument along State Freeway 77 in Wausau.
They even bought The us Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the pleasurable by the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a location to carry its annual Enjoyable Day and Possum Competition. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, amid other things, the Pageant draws in lots of men and women each and every year, as well as they find it irresistible.
Day trip for some educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is similar here lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 can do?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and reveals its unpleasant overall body only at night. That's why, if you're while in the ideal commit Florida, it is possible to hear possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so it is not so tricky to hook (or shoot) one.
An inscription for your monument in the midst of Wausau cites the possum's role in offering 'both equally fur and food' through the entire generations. It goes on to say: 'Their presence here has provided a resource of nutritious and flavorful foods in typical occasions and it has been an essential support to human survival a great deal more distress and demanding have to have.'
Chuckle if you prefer. The people of Wausau will chuckle together - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.