A Place in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum

There is a spend Florida that created a 12-foot-large monument in the center of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would everyone desire to accomplish that?
Nicely, to start, heroes are tough to seek out using this set set up Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, residence of less than 500 persons in the guts of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero understandably? No person else puts the possum using a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, in 1982, Wausau got fed up with getting overlooked of your Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Every put in position Florida requires a Pageant. And never just one location in Florida encompasses a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you have hardly ever attended Washington County, you probably will think I am causeing this to become up. When you've got been to Washington County, you can expect to fully grasp - and know It's a real Tale.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some really impressive possum politicians in early '80s. Here's certain things they accomplished:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the incredibly first Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led to the creating inside the monument along Point out Highway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even bought America Congress to publicize the possum. Congress joined the entertaining by the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may need a locale to assist its annual Enjoyment Day and Possum Competition. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, among other matters, the festival draws in A large number of individuals each year, they usually like it.
Time out for your several educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum will be the identical lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will accomplish?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its hideous human body only in the evening. That is why, when you're in the proper area in Florida, you'll be able to listen to possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so It really is not tricky to hook (or shoot) one.
An inscription with the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's part in offering 'the two fur and foods' throughout the full centuries. It goes to say: 'Their existence listed here has provided a supply of nutritious and flavorful food items in Possum removal Brighton usual moments and has been a crucial assistance to human survival during instances of distress and important require.'
Chuckle when you'd like. The persons of Wausau will chortle in conjunction with you - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.