An area in Florida - Let us Cheer the Lowly Possum

There is a devote Florida that created a twelve-foot-large monument in the center of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would everyone might like to do that?
Perfectly, to begin, heroes consider effort and time to research with this place set up Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, household of under 500 folks in the center of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an unlikely hero understandably? No one else places the possum by using a pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Next, past 1982, Wausau received Ill and drained with remaining overlooked from the Florida lists of enjoyment, fairs and festivals. Each devote Florida requires a Competition. And never a single position in Florida carries a Possum Festival. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have never frequented Washington County, you probably will Feel I am making this up. In case you have attended Washington County, you may comprehend - and know This is a real story.
Wausau, it turned out, had some fairly highly effective possum politicians in the course of the early '80s. Listed below are two or three factors they achieved:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to the constructing Along with the monument alongside Point out Highway 77 in Wausau.

They even got America Congress to promote the possum. Congress joined the pleasurable by way of providing the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau could have a place to help its yearly Enjoyment Working day and Possum Competition. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among the other items, the festival attracts tons of people every year, and so that they find it irresistible.
Day trip for some educating of Northerners below. The South's possum is identical lowly animal you phone opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will accomplish?) It is a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and exhibits its hideous body only during the night. That's why, when you are throughout the proper devote Florida, you can hear possum hunters' puppies baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', so it truly is simple to hook (or shoot) a person.
An inscription to the monument in the course of Wausau cites the possum's purpose in providing 'each fur and foodstuff' with the hundreds of years. It goes onto say: 'Their existence below has furnished a supply of nutritious and flavorful food in normal situations and it's got been a vital support to human survival far more distress and important want.'
Snicker check here if you're keen on. The folks of Wausau will chortle along - even though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.

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