There is a area in Florida that developed a twelve-foot-higher monument in the middle of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody choose to do that?
Well, to start out, heroes just take time and effort to study On this spot in Florida - the Panhandle town of Wausau, household of fewer than 500 people in the middle of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero as you should expect? No one else places the possum to the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, in 1982, Wausau acquired fed up with currently being left out through the Florida lists of enjoyable, fairs and festivals. Every single devote Florida needs a Competition. And not just one set in place Florida features a Possum Pageant. Why don't you Wausau?
If you haven't been to Washington County, you almost certainly will Assume I am building this up. When you have absent to Washington County, you'll recognize - and know It's a genuine Tale.
Wausau, it turned out, had some very powerful possum politicians noisy . '80s. Here are a number of items they achieved:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the initial Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led on the constructing Using the monument alongside Condition Freeway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even acquired America Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the exciting by the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might need a location to carry its annual Entertaining Day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other items, the festival appeals to plenty of people each and every year, and so that they uncover it irresistible.
Day out For a lot of educating of Northerners below. The South's possum is similar lowly animal you get in touch with opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will do?) It's a smallish marsupial that life in trees and shows its hideous physique only during the night time. This is why, if you are within appropriate place in Florida, you could listen to possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by puppies, the possum 'freezes', for that reason it is actually not so difficult capture (or shoot) one particular.
An inscription regarding the monument in the course of Wausau cites the possum's job in offering 'equally fur and food stuff' throughout the centuries. It goes on to say: 'Their existence right here has presented a resource of nutritious and flavorful foods in regular situations and has been a significant aid to human survival in times of distress Possum removal Mt.Waverly and critical want.'
Chuckle if you like. The persons of Wausau will snicker along - though downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.