WAS THE SHADOW SEEN? Groundhog Day is celebrated February 2. Every year, thousands of people travel to Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to await the forecast of the local rodent. “I do not celebrate Groundhog Day, but I know about the day,” says Ella Montney, freshman.
Groundhog Day dates back to February 2, 1887 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. “The Pennsylvania Dutch were German-speaking immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania. They developed their own way to take on the legend of Candlemas in the 18th and 19th centuries bringing them with the custom of the native Groundhog as their annual weather announcer. Candlesmas involved the clergy blessing and distributing candles needed for winter. The Pennsylvania Dutch transformed the idea by selecting an animal to predict their needs for winter,” stated at nationaltoday.com. The first ever Groundhog Day was created by a local newspaper editor, Clymer Freas, around 1886, who convinced Groundhog hunter and local businessmen and all members of Punxsutawney Groundhog club on the idea of Groundhog day. They made their way down to Gobbler’s Knob where the groundhog would make the final decision on the weather. Today, a group called the inner circle conduct the official proceedings on February 2 in Pennsylvania. Groundhog Day features a rodent meteorologist who predicts the weather for the next 6 weeks. If the groundhog comes out of its burrow and sees its shadow, it runs back into its burrow, which indicates predicting 6 more weeks of winter weather. If the groundhog comes out and doesn’t see its shadow, it predicts an early spring. Even though there is excitement with this day, studies have proven no strong correlation between a Groundhog sighting its own shadow and the arrival of spring.
As many years as this popular Groundhog has been seen, he has developed a name. He has developed the name of Punxsutawney Phil. This year, Punxsutawney Phil did see his shadow on Wednesday morning. As the legend goes, it can be expected to have 6 more weeks of winter weather.
Article by Taya Smith