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 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 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 On February 2, 1887, Groundhog Day, featuring a rodent meteorologist, is celebrated for the first time at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.According to tradition, if a groundhog In Punxsutawney, 1886 marked the first time that Groundhog Day appeared in the local newspaper. The following year brought the first official trek to Gobbler’s Knob. Each year since then has seen a steady increase in participation of the celebration from people all over the world. Groundhog Day, in the United States and Canada, day (February 2) on which the emergence of the groundhog from its burrow is said to foretell the weather for the following six weeks. The beginning of February, which falls roughly halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox , has long been a significant time of the year in many See how the groundhog became a symbol for predicting seasonal changes in America, rooted in German folklore with a badger — which in turn lead to Groundhog Day. In 1887, a group of men in the Borough of Punxsutawney, northeast of Pittsburgh, formed the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club and established an annual celebration using a groundhog to determine how soon winter would end. Their work continues to this day. It was not until the 1960’s that the groundhog began being called Punxsutawney Phil. In the 1880s, Clymer H. Freas, the editor of the Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper, had the idea to make Groundhog Day a formal holiday, and naming Punxsutawney Phil as the official weather-predicting groundhog. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, established in 1887, carries on the tradition today. While other cities have similar celebrations, there 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. Book your Punxsutawney hotel for Groundhog Day 2025 now! Find the best deals and availability on hotels near Gobbler's Knob, the site of the annual celebration. Spend Groundhog Day in the historic town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, and experience the unique tradition of predicting the arrival of spring. The groundhog is known as Punxsutawney Phil, because the town where the Groundhog Day tradition originated is called Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. A big celebration is still held in the town to this Free Printable Groundhog Day Activity Sheets | Fun February activities for preschool, pre k, kindergarten. Maze, matching, fine motor + graphing. Great winter ideas! Video above: Rare albino groundhog spotted in the Susquehanna Valley.The Groundhog Day celebration at Gobbler's Knob started in 1887. Aside from a 10-year gap, records for each prognostication 10. Did the Groundhog catch some fog the other day? No, he mist. 11. What did Obi-Wan say to Groundhog? If every day feels like Groundhog Day, maybe it’s time to paws and reflect! 12. Why is Punxsutawney Phil always cold? Because he has many fans. 13. When does a groundhog come before a woodchuck? In the dictionary. 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 As early as 1886, German immigrants here observed Groundhog Day and established the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club in 1899. According to folklore, if the hibernating groundhog—known as Punxsutawney Phil—leaves its burrow on February 2 and sees its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. Most of us know the tradition: on February 2, our old friend the groundhog will emerge from hibernation, come out of his den, and predict whether winter will deliver more cold weather this year. If the groundhog sees his shadow, the story goes, cold weather will persist another few weeks. If not, warm weather is around the corner. If you like the folklore of holidays, you may be interested to However, Punxsutawney Phil will let us know Sunday, Groundhog Day, when we can expect spring to officially arrive. Danny Rubin attended Gainesville High School and was the screenwriter for “Groundhog Day” the movie, a 1993 comedy featuring Bill Murray. Via video, he introduced Mayor Harvey Ward on Wednesday. In the American tradition of Groundhog Day, the nation’s groundhog prognosticators take a stance on the season ahead. If the groundhog sees his shadow, he predicts six more weeks of winter.
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