There's a set in place Florida that created a twelve-foot-higher monument in the middle of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any individual choose to do that?
Perfectly, to begin with, heroes are tough to come back by in this invest Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, household of under five hundred individuals in the middle of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero to mention the the very least? Nobody else places the possum which has a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, back 1982, Wausau acquired fed up with getting ignored within the Florida lists of pleasurable, fairs and festivals. Each devote Florida requirements a Pageant. Rather than a person put in place Florida includes a Possum Festival. Why not Wausau?
If you haven't been to Washington County, you probably will Believe I am making this up. For those who have long gone to Washington County, you may recognize - and know It is just a genuine Tale.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some rather effective possum politicians in the early '80s. Here's a few points they achieved:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the really to start with Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led into the creating in the monument along State Highway 77 in Wausau.
They even received The us Congress to market the possum. Congress joined read more the pleasurable by the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could have a location to carry its once-a-year Pleasurable Day and Possum Festival. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among the other points, the Pageant attracts loads of men and women Every and every year, additionally they adore it.
Day out to get a couple educating of Northerners in this article. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six can perform?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and shows its unpleasant overall body only at nighttime. This is exactly why, if you're from the appropriate devote Florida, you'll be able to listen to possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', hence it truly is simple to capture (or shoot) a single.
An inscription around the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's purpose in supplying 'each fur and food' throughout the complete hundreds of years. It goes on say: 'Their existence in this article has offered a useful resource of nutritious and flavorful food in normal times and it has been an essential support to human survival in times of distress and important require.'
Giggle if you prefer. The individuals of Wausau will chuckle together with you - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.