A Place in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum

There's a put set up Florida that created a 12-foot-higher monument in the course of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would everyone would like to perform that?
Very well, to begin, heroes acquire effort and time to investigate On this location in Florida - the Panhandle cash of scotland - Wausau, dwelling of lower than 500 individuals through 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 not Wausau?
Next, again 1982, Wausau obtained Ill and Uninterested in staying omitted Along with the Florida lists of enjoyment, fairs and festivals. Each and every commit Florida desires a festival. And not just one position in Florida contains a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you have never long gone to Washington County, you almost certainly will Feel I'm developing this up. In case you have visited Washington County, you can expect to comprehend - and know it is a accurate Tale.
Wausau, it proved, experienced some pretty impressive possum politicians in early '80s. Here i will discuss two points they attained:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led to your building through the monument alongside Condition Highway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even acquired The us Congress to market the Possum removal Glen iris possum. Congress joined the exciting by way of providing the money for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a place to hold its annual Entertaining Day and Possum Pageant. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other items, the Pageant attracts plenty of men and women annually, and in order that they obtain it irresistible.
Day trip For a lot of educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is analogous lowly animal you phone opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will accomplish?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its unattractive body only at nighttime. This is exactly why, when you're within the correct commit Florida, you could listen to possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', so It will likely be simple more than enough to trap (or shoot) a person.
An inscription about the monument through Wausau cites the possum's position in providing 'the two fur and food stuff' over the total hundreds of years. It goes on say: 'Their presence listed here has furnished an origin of nutritious and flavorful food in regular times and possesses been a vital assistance to human survival much more distress and critical have to have.'
Chuckle if you're keen on. The men and women of Wausau will snicker together - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.