There is a devote Florida that created a twelve-foot-large monument in the heart of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any individual could possibly love to do that?
Very well, to start with, heroes acquire effort and time to find using this area in Florida - the Panhandle funds of scotland - Wausau, property of less than 500 folks in the midst of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why don't you the possum, an not likely hero to put it mildly? No person else puts the possum with a pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Next, last 1982, Wausau acquired fed up with being left out within the Florida lists of pleasurable, fairs and festivals. Every single dedicate Florida needs a Competition. Rather than one particular make investments Florida incorporates a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you have not frequented Washington County, you most likely will think I'm producing this up. Should you have attended Washington County, you may comprehend - and know This may be a real story.
Wausau, it proved, had some quite potent possum politicians while in the early '80s. Listed below are some things they attained:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the First Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to the setting up with the monument together State Highway seventy seven in Wausau.

They even got The usa Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the exciting by offering the resources for Wausau's Possum Palace Possum Removal Melbourne so Wausau could possibly have a place to keep its annual Exciting Day and Possum Festival. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among other issues, the festival appeals to thousands of individuals Just about every and annually, and they also like it.
Day out for a great deal of educating of Northerners here. The South's possum could be the equivalent lowly animal you get in touch with opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will almost certainly do?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and exhibits its hideous system only during the night. That is why, when you're In the proper dedicate Florida, it is possible to hear possum hunters' pet dogs baying and barking. Treed by canine, the possum 'freezes', so it's effortless to hook (or shoot) just one.
An inscription around the monument in the course of Wausau cites the possum's function in delivering 'equally fur and foodstuff' all over the generations. It goes on to say: 'Their existence here has furnished a supply of nutritious and flavorful food stuff in normal occasions and has been A vital assist to human survival throughout occasions of distress and important need to have.'
Chortle if you prefer. The people today of Wausau will chortle together with you - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.