Groundhog’s Day 02/02/2020 in Puxsutawney, PA

It was a once in a lifetime event. The date of 02/02/2020 is the first global palindrome day in 909 years which was on 11/11/1111 and the next will be in 101 years on 12/12/2121. So, the question becomes how did you spend the day!!!!

I went to Puxsutawney, PA for Groundhog’s Day to watch Phil predict the weather. A tradition since 1886. This year was 134th Celebration with a record crowd that all came for the party. One group came as far away as Russian.

It like staying at an Ice Hotel. If you like being cold and at major party, this is the place to be. The locals are friendly with lots of entertaining events and activities. Most of the events and activities were free but the most expensive was $40 for the Groundhog’s Ball that I saw. This years theme was the “Roaring 20’s”!

The events start two days before February 2nd. This year the 2nd fell on Sunday which I am sure the local children where not to excited about. Any time that the 2nd falls on a school day…School is canceled. Not because the locals have to see the Groundhog but because the town needs the School Buses and Drivers to take people up to Gobbler’s Knob.

The buses started at 3 am but the drinking for most people has not stopped. The bus that took me up had a very very friendly and drink girl telling the bus driver how much she loved him for driving her up. The man was very tolerant and well mannered for the 10 to 15 minute drive up the hill.

Plan Your Visit

Most of the time, I like a very low planning and just going with the flow but for this trip it is best to plan for three reasons. First because you want to see everything and that is impossible. Second, you want to buy tickets before they are sold out! Third, you don’t want to freeze!!!! Or not have a place to stay!!!

Rooms get sold out months to over a year in advance, so book as soon as you can. If you do things last minute, then you can stay for $8 at the Community Center so bring your sleeping bag.

The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club has a wonderful schedule that you can print out ahead of time to plan the events that you want to see and when you want to see them or join them. For example, The Groundhog Jog is a 4 mile Run/Walk which if you sign up for in advance, then you get a t-shirt for the race.

Or you have a Snowshoe Shadow Walk or Build A Phil or Groundhog Day (The movie) or Historical Hayride Town Tour on several different days and/or times but you can only do the Member Only Reception or Meteorologist Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony or Brunch with Phil once during the event.

Choose wisely because it only comes once a year. I got to the Dueling Pianos and the Groundhog Eve Dance!!! Unfortunately, to go to both, I only spent half the time at each and wish I could have been at both for longer.

Best thing to do is park and walk everywhere. The town is about half a mile from the Historical Genealogical Society at 400-401 West Mahoning Street to Phil’s Burrow at the local library straight down 301 East Mahoning Street with all kinds of Phantastic Phil sculptures and other places to see along the way. Then just 2 blocks up on Findley Street and North Jefferson Street you have the Weather Discovery Center (Findley) and Community Center (North Jefferson).

Become a member of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club!!! You will receive a “Groundhogese” quarterly e-news letter, a special reception, an “Official Proclamation”, membership card, and advance notice of planned activities for the annually Groundhog Day Celebration with discounts on tickets.

Choose to wear layers. The weather is generally chilly in February, i.e. it was 30 degrees out this year with a light snow, i.e. 1 inch from about 10 pm to 2 am. According to the website, the weather can be anywhere from 32 degrees to -5 degrees.

Therefore, dress warm (Layer) and make sure that you have extra socks and gloves with you in case of wet feet or you lose them. PS socks can make great gloves in a pinch. Have a warm hat or buy a Phil hat when you get here. (They are so cute!!!)

Next are some of the things that I did for the 24 hours that I was in town!!!! I could not go sooner as I was so sad to miss Friday and Saturday morning. Plus I had plans for the Superbowl so I had to come home early Sunday morning.

Also, look at coming to Punxsutawney for other events that they have through the year or just to enjoy this town. Plus, the hiking trails looked completely wonderful but I hate cold weather so I was not taking a hike. Check the Chamber of Commerce of other events like the Punxsutawney Festival in the Park June 27 to July 4, 2020.

Phil’s Burrow & Punxsutawney Memorial Library

Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators, and Weather Prophet Extraordinary lives in his Burrow for all to see! Phil’s home is open to everyone at anytime. The window is both outside and another is inside the Library to watch Phil any time that he is in town.

He was asleep when I went to see him but I understand that he is very active most of the time. But this is a busy week for him and he gets a bit of sleep when he can during the celebrations.The Inner Circle has been in charge of maintaining Phil’s habitat and being his traveling companion for Phil’s appearances around the state each year to his 1995 appearance on Oprah Winfrey Show to parades to corporate functions to public schools events.

Phil is loved by everyone and he is a great educational tool. Phil’s gets cousins to play with as the head care taker for Phil is licensed to rescue wild groundhogs who have been orphaned and are rescued. Most of the rescued groundhogs are not able to go back to the wild but they are far from being domesticated.

Brief History

The pagan holiday of Imbolc has been around since the Neolithic period about 9,000 B.C. The festival marks the beginning of spring and great festivals are held on or about February 1st with Brigid, the goddess of fertility, visiting and blessing households on Inbolc Eve bring in the light of spring.

On Inbolc Eve, a celebration meal would be made and a place held for Brigid. A member of the family would play Brigid. Brigid would circle the home three time carrying rushes and knock on the door three times. On the third knock, Brigid would symbolically be invited in, fed, and the rushes would be made into a bed.

As the centuries pasted, other traditions were add and some subtracted. One was raking the morning ashes smooth looking for a sign that Brigid had visited.

Depending on the village or town, young ladies would paraded in white with unbound hair (symbol of purity & youth) with Brideog, called Breedhoge or Biddy, which were doll figures made of different materials but usually rushes, reed, cloth, flowers, and/or shells. The young ladies would visited houses in the area and receive food or more decorations for Brideog. A feasted was held and then Brideog was song lullabies and put to bed.

In some places, only unmarried ladies could join and in others, boys could also join the parade. Some places had a girl impersonate Brigid and she held court of other girls that followed. But most had a large party at the end with music, dancing, and singing.

In Scottland, a Gaelic proverb was about the Imbolc was about a serpent coming up from a hole on the Day of the Bride. It was an old tradition of watching to see if serpents or badgers come from their winter dens, i.e. checking on if they were coming out of hibernation.

Cailleach, divine hag of Gaelic tradition, was said to come out and gather more firewood for the rest of winter and Imbolc would be a bright and sunny day for her to do so. If Imbolc was a nasty weather day, then Cailleach would not come out because she was asleep and winter was almost over and she did not need more firewood.

As the Christian faith came into Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man, they changed the holiday into the Feast day of Saint Brigid and later, Candlemas which is the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ and Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary which is 40 days after Christmas on February 2nd. But if you look closely, you can see a lot of Groundhog Day in these traditions.

Phantastic Phil’s

Scattered throughout town are 32 larger then life groundhog statues call the Phantastic Phil’s. The Chamber of Commerce has a map for all 32 of them but the locals told me that you would need a car to see all of them.

In 2004, the first Phantasic Phil appeared in front of Phil’s Burrow. It is the only one wearing the traditional tuxedo and top hat which is worn by his caretakers. He stands seven foot tall which is a foot taller then the other fiberglass groundhogs in town.

Brief History

The tradition of Groundhogs Day goes back to the pagan holiday of Imbolc which was slowly turned into Candlemas or “Badger Day” in Europe. It was said that if the badger emerging on February 2nd and saw his shadow, then if was an omen of six more weeks of winter. If he did not see his shadow, then an early spring.

As the Dutch settled into Pennsylvania, they brought their holiday with them. As the badger is more of a European animal, they put in the groundhog as a replacement. The holiday keep going.

In Punxsutawney, locals went groundhog hunting on February 2nd each year and had a party afterwards on roasted groundhog and lots of drinking. In 1887, a few boys started a club that meet at Gobbler’s Knob called the Groundhogs Club.

The Inner Circle dresses in top hats and tuxedos as was done to meet diplomats and very important people visiting town years ago. They still do this as Phil is a very important diplomat to Punxsutawney.

The Inner Circle is responsible planning events for Groundhog Day since the club started back in 1887. Today, the Inner Circle is also responsible for a newsletter, Phil’s care, and Phil’s appearances across the state and nation.

GHC Visitor Center

The GHC Visitor Center has the history of Phil. Free to the public and great little pieces of Phil history. It is open Monday to Friday 10 am to 2 pm and special events. 200 West Mahoning Street, Street Suite 1.

Brief History

In 1887, Clymer H Freas, the city editor of Punxsutawney and founder of Groundhogs Day, ran a story about Groundhogs Day and the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. The story announced that Punxsutawney’s Groundhog was America’s Official Forecasting Groundhog.

Each year, Freas would embellish the story a bit more and more. Around the country, other newspapers picked up the story and ran it for a bit of fluff and fun.

Soon, every year people across American would await the Punxsutawney’s Groundhog prediction for an early spring or not. But it was not until 1961, that the Punxsutawney Groundhog was named Phil.

Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center

The Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center known as “the Weather Capital of the World” is located at 210 North Findley Street.

The Center is hours are 10 am to 4 pm and are closed Wednesdays and Sunday all year but during the winter they are also closed on Tuesdays. But they are always open for Phil’s party each year no matter what day of the week. They also close for bad weather.

In front of the Center, they have a light up of Phil that counts up to midnight on Groundhog’s Eve. Totally cool.

This center is very hands on and total geared for children with a burrow with Phil history for children to play in and also an area with a slide and other activities. For adults, this is also the old postal office and the architecture is wonderful. But unless you have children, then it is not yet a draw for Adults but I believe that they will have more and more as the years go on.

Each year, they have induct a new member into the Weather Hall of Fame during the festivities. In 2013, Jim Cantore was the inductee.

Gobbler’s Knob

Gobbler’s Knob is just outside town up a hill so hike down but bus up!!! It is worth the $5. The buses start at 3 am but get to the bus line before 5 am to ensure that you get up in time.

It is a zoo to get back down afterwards so I walked down hill about 1.5 miles but it was a nice walk and a wonderful person half way down was offering tea to passers by. A special thanks to them. PS if you are thinking about driving up, you have to have a special pass as the local police close the road at some point for just bus traffic which is one way and they close the road for buses and people to walk down afterwards.

Gobbler’s Knob has a both a gift shop and a concession stand but the line was so long that I just did not want wait. They have a large bonfire off to the right of the stage. (I spent all my time here until the event. I am just not into being that cold…lol)

The stage has talent after talent starting at 3 am until 6:30 am. Then a wonderful firework show at 6:30 am. At 7 am, the Inner Circle arrives and does speeches. At 7:20 am ish or sunrise, the Inner Circle knock three times on Phil’s heated burrow door, lucky groundhog getting heat!!!!!

Phil then comes out and talks to the Inner Circles President. The President then reads Phil prediction. Early Spring for 2020!!! And the crowd goes wild and rushes for the buses!!!! For those that have paid in advance, their is a meeting with Phil and a photo opportunity but spots fill up so preorder if you are going.

This is one of those wonderful things that everyone should do at least once. It is one big party!!! But it is very very family friendly. I did not see anything that was over the top except the hats and that was just cool to see the different hats people made.

Brief Attendance History

Gobbler’s Knob was tracked up to at least starting around 1900. Possible earlier. It had about 2,000 people come per year until 1993, then Groundhog Day, the movie, came out!!!!

Since the movie, attendance has been at least 20,000 per year. The highest attendance was about 35,000 in 1997. From what I heard, they had a record crowd which exceeded 40,000 for 02/02/2020.

Gobbler’s Knob Trail & Mahoning Shadow Trail

At Gobbler’s Knob, there is this cute little trail to the left of the stage. If it was not winter, I would have gone for the hike….lol The web site states that it is half a mile. So if you are going by Gobbler’s Knob, stop and take a picture of Phil Burrow and a little hike.

In town, Mahoning Shadow Trail is a 15 mile reclaimed railroad bed. During the Groundhog Day Celebration, they have a 1 to 2 mile snowshoes hike available for those that would like to hike in snowshoes. For all you runners, the trail also has a Mahoning Shadow Shuffle for 5K and 10K in early October.

If I get a chance, I will go back in the Spring and check these out. I love finding new trails to hike.

The Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society plus a Historical Hayride

The Historical & Genealogical Society is down Millionaire row. They have taken over two of the houses that once were Millionaire homes and made them into museums. Plus I found a great parking spot just down the street on Morrison Avenue.

The Society is housed in two houses directly across the street from each other. Each of the houses that were once built by the Millionaire that lived in town during the coal and industry rushes of the turn of 1900’s century.

In the one building, they have the history of the area with arrowheads and the Victoria age and a other things on the first floor. My favorite was the arrowheads, quilts, and toys of years gone by.

One of the educational items on this floor was the 13th quilt history. Once upon a time, women in some cultures had to make 13 quilts before they were married. It was partly for a wives new house and partly to show her skills. Check it out! It is a cool bit of history.

In the basement, they have the flood line 1996 flood which took the downtown by force in January 1996. The museum was over half a mile away from the downtown area but the flood was even here. In addition, they have some old post office boxes that you are allow to touch. A lot of mining equipment and other items.

Upstairs, they have the first television in town. A brides gown from the turn of the 1900’s century, old radios, historical outfits, and so much more. But when you are walking around this house note the architectural details of the house. This was a house that the upper upper class would have had in the early 1900’s. These would be the houses of major actors of our times and just under the Bill Gates of our times.

The Society also host the Hayride, so come and sign up for the hayride early. The hayride takes you around the town and tells you great stories about the town and the architectural details. Story’s about the Post Office plus a great run down of where you want to be. It takes about 30 minutes but even more wonderful it is Free.

Across the street, the upstairs has a wonderful children’s history including health, toys, shoes, and books from the past. The gift shop is also over in this area. Plus they have a station to charge your phones with free cookies, cocoa, tea, and coffee.

They also have a great area about the Groundhog Day the movie, an area to read current and old books about Phil, Punxsutawney, and other historical items.

The Society also have a great play/talk about the history of baseball in the area. Punxsutawney had so many player come out of it including Gordon “Billy” Hunter (Played with the Yankees, Kansas City, Orioles, & Cleveland. Manager of the Texas Rangers. Coached the Orioles and is in the Hall of Fame.), several female players (Dorothy “Dot” Kovalchilk, Anna Mary “Puxsie” Edmondson, and others), Wilbur “Lefty” Good, Bob Ramazzoti, Otis Clymer, and so many more who helped baseball develop in the early years. Currently the most famous would be “The Groundhog” or Devin Mesoraco who was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in 2007.

Brief History

The name Punxsutawney comes from the Native Americans that once used this land as campsite halfway between the Allegheny and Susquehanna rivers as it is on the earliest known trail to the East. The Native Americans called it, “Ponksaduteney” which meant the “Town of the Sandflies”. Although, the sandflies have gone, the town lives with the name.

The name gave the town lots of issue as no one could spell it. The post office would get all the mail that had a P in the front and a Y in at the end. This was before google or zip codes for that matter.

The Groundhog is also part of the legend of the area that predates white settlers. The Delaware Indians believed that the began life as animals then became men centuries later. The Oijik or Wojak (Native words) became the Woodchuck was the earliest inhabitants of the area.

Sounds the groundhogs have always been in high regard in this area. Phil’s is on almost all businesses, clubs, part of schools, and a part of every day life for the locals. But he is so cute!!! How can you help but want to be a part of this tradition that goes back longer then we can ever guess.

John W. Jenks Lodge No. 534 F&AM Masonic Lodge

The Masonic Lodge is a great little place to stop by and learn a lot about the Lodge history for Punxsutawney. Also, about the history of Punxsutawney. The gentleman that I chatted with on both on Saturday and Sunday morning.

The Lodge also has a great Bible on display. The Lodge does a lot of charity work through the year including donates to the local food pantries and other items like 5K or 10K Run/Walk for Help for our Heros. Please make a donation when you stop by if you can.

Brief History

The earliest known American lodges are believed to have been in Pennsylvania around 1715 with a Provincial Grand Master for North America in 1731. But the Freemasons go back to at least 1425 but no one is very sure when the first group started.

The groups mission is fellowship, charity, and self-improvement. It is basically a fraternity of men who get together for meetings, parties, fishing trips, volunteer work, etc. The members also mentor each other in business, career, family life, hobbies, and teach each other leadership skills through volunteering in the lodge, communities events, fund raisers, and/or other communities needs.

The Masonic Lodges were also very important for members to meet other businessmen and provided a place for them to meet and get help on business projects or find work. It was like Linkedin before computers. In addition, helped traveling members with places to stay, work, or other items they might need when they were out of town or moving to a new place.

But with any group that has a large membership, Lodges used their power to influences politics, business, and other lifestyles issues across American and other parts of the world with both good and bad results. Not unlike the AARP, MADD, NRA, and other groups that lobby the capital today.

And like any group with a large membership, estimated at 6 million worldwide, and lodges around the world. You will have the good, the bad, and the ugly that happens. But this is basely a group of people who come together, talk, and allow ideas to flow. They make business deals with each other and become a family.

Throughout the years, many governments have ban Freemasonry. Netherlands in 1735, Sweden and Geneva in 1738, Zurich in 1740, Bavaria in 1784, Russia in 1822, Pakistan in 1972. In 1738, Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy attempted to ban lodges.

In 1925, Mussolini dissolved the Freemasonry in Italy. General Capello, Deputy Grand Master, was arrested and sentenced to 30 years in jail for not giving up the Freemason.

In 1928, Spain dictator ordered the abolition of Freemasonry and imprisoning around 200 masons. In 1936, the White Terror was organized death squads that rounded up Masons who were then tortured, garroted, shot, and murdered countless masons.

During WWII, the Nazi regime targeted the Freemasons with a final dissolution of all Lodges and confiscating all the properties. A Masonic concentration camp was created for the political prisoner and Mason members wore an inverted red triangle.

German Masons could work for the government but many were sidelined for promotions and/or sent to concentration camps as the years went by. In occupied countries, Masons were sent to concentration camps when found. It is estimated that between 80,000 to 200,000 Freemasons were exterminated.

Brief List of Notable members

The Members include at least 15 US Presidents including both Roosevelt’s, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, Truman, and Washington. George Washington was 21 years old when he joined. Briefly, their was talk after the American Revolution to make him the first Grand Master of the “Grand Lodge of the United States” but as new Americans no one wanted another authority body and the idea was scraped.

The U.S. Supreme Court has had over 100 Justices that have been in the Freemasons. In addition, the Freemason have had Senators, Congressmen, State Governors, and members in every house of every state.

Many Freemason were interested in science and technology. Members included Benjamin Franklin (Lightning rod, bifocal), Sir Alexander Fleming (Penicillin), Edward Jenner (Smallpox vaccine), Richard Gatling (Gatling gun), Jacques Etienne Montolfier (co invetor of 1st flying hot air balloon), and so many others.

The US space program include at least 10 astronauts including Buzz Aldrin, John Glenn, and Paul Weitz. At least 3 administration including James Edwin Webb was the Administrator of NASA from 1961-1968 and Kenneth Kleinknecht was part of many programs including the Apollo Program. Scientist Vannever Bush who developed the first electronic analogue computer. On an interesting note, Neil Armstrong was not a Freemason but his father was.

Freemason have had monarchs from over 66 nations over the years including Hawaii, Afghanistan, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Egypt, Germany, Jordan, Ottomen Empire, Mexico, Russia, and the United Kingdom. Some of the nations no longer exist.

Prince Phil, Queen Elizabeth II husband, is a member with other members of the current royal family. King George IV & VI, King Edward VII & VIII, and King William IV of the United Kingdoms were all members.

Entertainers and artiest like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Mark Twain, Jack Warner (Warner Brothers), Louis B. Mayer (MGM), Walt Disney, Cecil B DeMille, Clark Gable, Oscar Wilde, John Wayne, Harry Houdini, and Voltaire.

Many of our founding fathers were Freemasons some listed above and many of those which were part of the Republic of Texas including Sam Houston. Other famous masons include John Elway, Henry Ford, J. Edger Hoover, all seven of the Ringling Brothers, Joseph Smith (founder of the Latter Day Saints), Winston Churchill, Davy Crockett, General Douglas MacArthur, and Benedict Arnold.

These are just a few of the Freemasons.