The observance of Groundhog Day in the United States first occurred in German communities in Pennsylvania, according to known records. 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 Groundhog Day Forecasts and Climate History It was 2.6°F above the 20th century average. 2023 was the 102nd-coldest February in the 128-year period of record. In the Fall of 2016, The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club worked with Discovery Studios and Animal planet to create a one hour documentary called: A Groundhog Day Story: The Tale of a Marmot, His Shadow, and the People Who Protect Him. This special aired on Groundhog Day, February 2nd 2017 on the Animal Planet network! Groundhog Day has been celebrated in the United States since at least February 2, 1886. Starting in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, with its now-famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, the tradition spread throughout America. The first known record of Groundhog Day was in a local paper in 1886 in Punxsutawney. For most years since then, Phil and previous incarnations of him have actively participated in this February 2 The Birth of Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney. The first recorded Groundhog Day celebration took place on February 2nd, 1886, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The event was organized by local newspaper editor Clymer Freas and a group of businessmen and groundhog hunters known as the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. In 1886, Groundhog Day was acknowledged for the first time in Punxsutawney by a local newspaper, Weathers Wags, according to the club. In 1887, the first official pilgrimage to see Phil on Gobbler The surprising history of Groundhog Day and Punxsutawney Phil's rise to fame goes back thousands of years. and poor Punxsutawney Phil doesn’t have a great track record. As of 2022, he’d Pennsylvania's official celebration of Groundhog Day began on February 2nd, 1886 with a proclamation in The Punxsutawney Spirit by the newspaper's editor, Clymer Freas: "Today is groundhog day and up to the time of going to press the beast has not seen its shadow." The groundhog was given the name "Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of 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 Punxsutawney Phil prepares his forecast for Groundhog Day, but Alabama's possum, Sand Mountain Sam, has a better track record.Punxsutawney Phil resides in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, but once a year, the spotlight shines bright across his fur. The Groundhog Day celebration at Gobbler's Knob started in 1887. Aside from a 10-year gap, records for each prognostication have been meticulously kept. But, according to groundhog.org, "Punxsutawney Phil is the only true weather forecasting groundhog. The others are just impostors." How old is Punxsutawney Phil? Punxsutawney Phil is reportedly Groundhog Club handler A.J. Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil during the 138th celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger) Every Feb. 2, the world's most famous groundhog Punxsutawney Phil rises from its burrow in Pennsylvania for Groundhog Day to give the prediction on what type of weather the U.S. could expect to Here's when Groundhog Day began: The first mention of Groundhog Day came in 1886 in Punxsutawney. Over the years, several other locations have begun using their own groundhog, including General Beauregard Lee of Atlanta, Dunkirk Dave of Dunkirk, New York, and Jimmy of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. Here's what the weather forecast shows for Punxsutawney Phil's prediction for Groundhog Day on Sunday morning. The Weather Channel according to records from NOAA dating back to 1887. Each Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil makes his prediction about a late end to winter weather or early start to spring temperatures. Records do not specify why Phil skipped his 1943 appearance The origins of Gound Hog Day dates back to 1886 when a group of groundhog hunters from Punxsutawney dubbed themselves “The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club” and began promoting Phil was the nations
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.