There's a spend Florida that designed a 12-foot-substantial monument throughout town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would anybody may possibly like to do that?
Effectively, to begin with, heroes are tricky to locate on this invest Florida - the Panhandle metropolis of Wausau, property of underneath 500 persons in the course of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero as you'd assume? No one else puts the possum on the pedestal. Why don't you Wausau?
Secondly, in 1982, Wausau bought Unwell and Uninterested in remaining ignored Using the Florida lists of fun, fairs and festivals. Each and every devote Florida needs a Competition. And not one spot in Florida carries a Possum Pageant. Why not Wausau?
If you haven't attended Washington County, you most likely will Assume I'm Hence, generating this up. When you've got long gone to Washington County, you can expect to have an understanding of - and know this is the real story.
Wausau, it turned out, had some really highly effective possum politicians in early '80s. Here's a pair of points they completed:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the 1st Saturday in August as Possum Working day in Florida. That led to the making on the monument together Point out Freeway 77 in Wausau.

They even obtained The us Congress to promote the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by giving the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau may have a spot to carry its yearly Pleasurable Day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, between other points, the Competition appeals to A lot of people Every single and annually, as well as they obtain it irresistible.
Time out For lots of educating of Northerners below. The South's possum could be the similar lowly animal you connect with opossum, (Why use 7 letters when 6 will do?) It is a check here smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its unattractive physique only in the evening. That's why, if you are inside the appropriate make investments Florida, you could listen to possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by canines, the possum 'freezes', so It really is not hard to entice (or shoot) 1.
An inscription with regard to the monument in the heart of Wausau cites the possum's position in giving 'each fur and food items' over the overall hundreds of years. It goes on say: 'Their existence right here has presented an origin of nutritious and flavorful food in standard occasions and possesses been an important help to human survival through periods of distress and important have to have.'
Chortle when you'd want. The people today of Wausau will chortle along with you - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.