There is a place set up Florida that built a twelve-foot-superior monument in the course of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would everyone desire to perform that?
Nicely, to start out, heroes get effort and time to investigate with this particular area in Florida - the Panhandle city of Wausau, residence of less than 500 people in the midst of Washington County about 10 miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero as you would probably expect? Nobody else puts the possum within the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, in 1982, Wausau obtained fed up with staying left out from your Florida lists of pleasurable, fairs and festivals. Each position in Florida wishes a Competition. Rather than a single devote Florida features a Possum Competition. Why not Wausau?
If you've got under no circumstances visited Washington County, you probably will Imagine I'm earning this up. In case you have attended Washington County, you can realize - and know This is a accurate story.
Wausau, it turned out, experienced some fairly strong possum politicians noisy . '80s. Here are a set of matters they achieved:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the incredibly to start with Saturday in August more info as Possum Day in Florida. That led to the building from the monument along Condition Highway 77 in Wausau.

They even bought The us Congress to market the possum. Congress joined the exciting by offering the funds for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau can have a place to hold its once-a-year Enjoyable Day and Possum Festival. Showcasing a queen contest and possum auction, among other issues, the festival appeals to A large number of folks yearly, and they like it.
Day out for plenty of educating of Northerners here. The South's possum is identical lowly animal you get in touch with opossum, (Why use seven letters when six can perform?) It's a smallish marsupial that lives in trees and displays its unsightly overall body only at night. That's why, when you end up in the appropriate area in Florida, you can listen to possum hunters' canines baying and barking. Treed by dogs, the possum 'freezes', therefore it is actually not so tough to hook (or shoot) 1.
An inscription to the monument in the course of Wausau cites the possum's purpose in offering 'equally fur and food' from the hundreds of years. It goes onto say: 'Their existence in this article has delivered a source of nutritious and flavorful food items in ordinary situations and incorporates been a substantial assist to human survival through instances of distress and significant want.'
Snicker in case you'd prefer. The persons of Wausau will laugh along with you - while downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.