Groundhog Day

On Candlemas Day, originating from early European Christians, the clergy was to come bless and distribute candles among the people. On this day, if a hedgehog cast a shadow it was believed that there would be six more weeks of winter.

In the "new world," the greatest of the early population of Pennsylvania was the German. The Europeans brought to America many traditions from their homeland. When they arrived they found the groundhog, resembling the European hedgehog. The Indians found the groundhog a wise animal., and if the sun was shining on Feb.2 (Candlemas Day) the groundhog would see his shadow, and there would be six more weeks of winter.

In the summer of 1887 a groundhog hunt and picnic was held by local hunters. A man named Clymer H. Freas, inspired by the hunt, recalled the Pennsylvania Dutch Legend as a weather indicator and claimed for the Punxsutawney groundhog all weather rights. He made a home for the creature on Gobblers Knob and what is now a worldwide fame. Later, W.O. Smith, a U.S. congressman, made Punxsutawney a weather capitol of the world.

Many other people helped to save the population of the groundhog and Groundhog Day throughout the many years, and the rest they say is history. Oh yeah, this year he saw his shadow. With El Nino, who would know?!