There is a place in position Florida that constructed a 12-foot-significant monument all through city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody would like to accomplish that?
Effectively, to start with, heroes acquire effort and time to acquire with this commit Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, home of less than 500 folks in the middle of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero understandably? No one else puts the possum around a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, past 1982, Wausau got Ill and Bored with staying ignored within the Florida lists of exciting, fairs and festivals. Just about every set in place Florida wants a Pageant. Instead of just one place in position Florida features a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you've got in no way attended Washington County, you most likely will Imagine I am building this up. If you have frequented Washington County, you will realize - and know It's really a accurate Tale.
Wausau, it turned out, had some pretty effective possum politicians through the early '80s. Allow me to share two or three issues they accomplished:


They persuaded the Florida website Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led on the building in the monument along Condition Highway 77 in Wausau.

They even obtained The usa Congress in selling the possum. Congress joined the fun by offering the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau can have a region to carry its once-a-year Pleasurable Day and Possum Pageant. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, between other issues, the Competition attracts lots of men and women annually, they usually like it.
Day trip For numerous educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum is comparable lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use seven letters when 6 can perform?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and demonstrates its unpleasant body only in the evening. That's why, When you are Within the correct make investments Florida, you can listen to possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so it will be not so challenging to trap (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription throughout the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's function in supplying 'both equally fur and food' all through the generations. It goes on to say: 'Their existence here has furnished a resource of nutritious and flavorful foodstuff in ordinary instances and has been An important guide to human survival in times of distress and demanding want.'
Laugh if you prefer. The persons of Wausau will laugh together - whilst downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.