Every year on february 2nd, we celebrate Groundhog Day where *** groundhog indicates whether there will be six more weeks of winter or in early spring. But have you ever wondered how the tradition started? It was brought to the U. S. By german immigrants who used small animals like hedgehogs as *** way to predict the weather after coming to America. The tradition continue. Except hedgehogs were replaced by groundhog as tradition states if *** groundhog comes out of its hole and sees its shadow, it gets scared and runs back into its burrow predicting six more weeks of winter if the groundhog does not see its shadow in early spring is predicted. The first Groundhog Day celebration dates back to 18 77. In Punks tawny pennsylvania. It was started by *** local newspaper editor who was part of *** group of groundhog hunters. Together the group celebrated the first Groundhog Day and designated punks *** tawny Phil as the official weather predicting groundhog. Now many towns across the US and Canada celebrate the tradition with their own weather predicting rodents.
This Day in History: First Groundhog Day celebrated Feb. 2, 1887
Every year on Feb. 2, many towns across America celebrate Groundhog Day, where a weather-predicting groundhog determines if there will be six more weeks of winter or if there will be an early spring.According to tradition, when a groundhog leaves its burrow, if it sees its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If it doesn't see its shadow, there will be an early spring.The first Groundhog Day celebration was held on Feb. 2, 1877, at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. However, the tradition of using rodents to predict the weather dates back much earlier and was brought to the U.S. by German immigrants.The Groundhog Day celebration was created by a newspaper editor in Punxsutawney named Clymer Freas, who was part of a groundhog hunting club called the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. Together, the group designated Punxsutawney Phil as the nation's official groundhog meteorologist.Today, the celebration is led by a group called the Inner Circle, who wear top hats and speak in the Pennsylvania Dutch dialect. Every year, they trek to Gobbler's Knob to get Phil's weather prediction. Each year, tens of thousands of spectators attend Groundhog Day events in Punxsutawney. And many towns across the U.S. and Canada celebrate the day with their own weather-predicting rodents.
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. —
Every year on Feb. 2, many towns across America celebrate Groundhog Day, where a weather-predicting groundhog determines if there will be six more weeks of winter or if there will be an early spring.
According to tradition, when a groundhog leaves its burrow, if it sees its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If it doesn't see its shadow, there will be an early spring.
The first Groundhog Day celebration was held on Feb. 2, 1877, at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. However, the tradition of using rodents to predict the weather dates back much earlier and was brought to the U.S. by German immigrants.
The Groundhog Day celebration was created by a newspaper editor in Punxsutawney named Clymer Freas, who was part of a groundhog hunting club called the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. Together, the group designated Punxsutawney Phil as the nation's official groundhog meteorologist.
Today, the celebration is led by a group called the Inner Circle, who wear top hats and speak in the Pennsylvania Dutch dialect. Every year, they trek to Gobbler's Knob to get Phil's weather prediction.
Each year, tens of thousands of spectators attend Groundhog Day events in Punxsutawney. And many towns across the U.S. and Canada celebrate the day with their own weather-predicting rodents.
FAQs
The first official Groundhog Day celebration took place on February 2, 1887, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The annual ritual has roots in pre-Christian traditions and was brought to the U.S. by German immigrants.
When was the first Groundhog Day in 1887? ›
This Day in History: First Groundhog Day celebrated Feb. 2, 1887.
How did Feb 2 become Groundhog Day? ›
The earliest mention of Groundhog Day is an entry on February 2, 1840, in the diary of James L. Morris of Morgantown, in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, according to the book on the subject by Don Yoder. This was a Welsh enclave but the diarist was commenting on his neighbors who were of German stock.
Did the groundhog see his shadow in 1887? ›
Phil's first official shadow sighting came in 1887, followed by several years of no official recordings. The first front page coverage came in 1908, when Phil saw his shadow. In 1913, John Frampton was the first to grab a photo for the newspaper of Phil spotting his shadow.
What is the history of Groundhog Day facts? ›
The holiday, which began as a Pennsylvania German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries, has its origins in ancient European weather lore, wherein a badger or sacred bear is the prognosticator as opposed to a groundhog.
What is the myth behind Groundhog Day? ›
The first mention Yoder has found of groundhogs predicting the weather on February 2 is in a diary entry for that day in 1840, written by a Welsh-American storekeeper in Pennsylvania: Today the Germans say the groundhog comes out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he returns in and remains there 40 days.
How many Punxsutawney Phil's have there been? ›
There has only been one Punxsutawney Phil. He has been making predictions since 1886! Punxsutawney Phil gets his longevity from drinking the "elixir of life," a secret recipe. Phil takes one sip every summer at the Groundhog Picnic and it magically gives him seven more years of life.
Is Punxsutawney Phil really 138 years old? ›
He's 138 years old and never had a child so he picked late in life to start a family,” Dunkel told CBS. As the groundhog club's president, Dunkel is the possessor of an ancient acacia wood cane that supposedly allows him to communicate with Phil in Groundhogese.
Who is the wife of Punxsutawney Phil? ›
Punxsutawney Phil and his wife, Phyllis. One of Phil's and Phyllis' babies. New-mom Phyllis enjoys a Mother's Day treat. Dan McGinley, Vice President of The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, reads the scroll containing the names of the two pups.
Is Groundhog Day still a thing? ›
The annual event, which was held shortly after sunrise on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, is a tongue-in-cheek ritual in which Phil's handlers reveal whether the groundhog has seen his shadow. This year, they say the rodent did not see his shadow and that will usher in early springlike weather.
According to the lore, there is only one Phil, and all other groundhogs are impostors. It is claimed that this one groundhog has lived to make weather prognostications since 1886, sustained by drinks of "groundhog punch" or "elixir of life" administered at the annual Groundhog Picnic in the fall.
Did Punxsutawney Phil have babies? ›
Punxsutawney Phil's babies are named Shadow and Sunny. Just don't call them the heirs apparent. Punxsutawney Phil's offspring now have names that just might help the famed weather-forecasting groundhog to predict when spring will begin. The two kits born to Phil and his partner, Phyllis, are named Sunny and Shadow.
What is the lifespan of a groundhog? ›
Males are typically larger than females. The average lifespan of a groundhog is 3 years.
What are groundhogs good for? ›
Like these relatives, groundhogs are powerful diggers that make large, complex underground burrows. These burrows are not only potentially helpful to soils for aeration and nutrient recycling, but they are often used by other burrowing animals such as foxes, opossums, raccoons, and skunks.
How long did Groundhog Day actually last? ›
The movie itself never actually reveals that detail, however, Whatculture.com ran some numbers and revealed the number was likely over 12,000 days, which would come to roughly 33 years. We see him relive Groundhog Day 38 times in the movie while another 414 days were mentioned in the film.
How many times was Groundhog Day correct? ›
Phil's accuracy rate over the time period was 36%. Overall, the Stormfax Almanac says, Phil has only been right 39% of the time going back to his first recorded prediction in 1887.
What was the first year of Groundhog Day? ›
Many sources claim that the original Groundhog Day took place in 1887, when residents of Punxsutawney set out to Gobbler's Knob, known as Phil's “official” home, but the first piece of evidence Yoder found of townspeople trusting a groundhog for the weather, a diary entry, was dated 1840.
Who was the first US president to meet Punxsutawney Phil? ›
Phil traveled to Washington, D.C. in 1986 to meet with President Reagan. In 1993, Columbia Pictures released the movie “Groundhog Day,” starring Bill Murray. Since then, record crowds of more than 30,000 from throughout the world have visited Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney! Phil debuted on “Oprah” in 1995.
Was Groundhog Day the first time loop? ›
'Groundhog Day' was a time loop story, but not the first time loop story Here we go again: Time loop stories were around long before the 1993 movie Groundhog Day. So a friendly reminder that one person's discovery of something isn't the same as its invention.
When did Punxsutawney start? ›
The event formally began in 1887, although its roots go back even further. The event is based upon a communal light-hearted suspension of disbelief which extends to the assertion that the same groundhog has been making predictions since the 19th century.
