There's a spot in Florida that designed a twelve-foot-high monument in the midst of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any one ought to do that?
Effectively, to start out, heroes take effort and time to analysis within this put set up Florida - the Panhandle money of scotland - Wausau, home of under five hundred folks for the duration 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? No person else puts the possum about the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, again 1982, Wausau received Sick and tired of becoming ignored from the Florida lists of pleasurable, fairs and festivals. Each and every position in Florida needs a Pageant. Instead of a single commit Florida carries a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you have not long gone to Washington County, you probably will Imagine I'm building this up. In case you have frequented Washington County, you can comprehend - and know this can be a correct Tale.
Wausau, it wound up, had some rather powerful possum politicians in the early '80s. Listed here are some things they achieved:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the primary Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led for the creating from your monument alongside Point out Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even got the United States Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the pleasurable by the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a region to assistance its once-a-year Enjoyable Day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, read more amid other points, the Competition appeals to Many of us Every single and on a yearly basis, and so they love it.
Day trip for just a several educating of Northerners right here. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you simply call opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and reveals its hideous body only at nighttime. That is why, when you're within the suitable position in Florida, you are able to listen to possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', thus it can be not tough to lure (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription with regards to the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's job in delivering 'the two fur and food stuff' through the entire generations. It goes on to say: 'Their existence right here has delivered a source of nutritious and flavorful food in normal occasions and has been a major assist to human survival through situations of distress and critical want.'
Laugh if you like. The folks of Wausau will chortle in addition to you - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.