Groundhog Day arrives

PUNXSUTAWNEY — According to Stormfax.com, the earliest American reference to Groundhog Day can be found at the Pennsylvania Dutch Folklore Center at Franklin and Marshall College: Feb. 4, 1841 - from Morgantown, Berks County Pa., storekeeper James Morris’ diary: “...Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate.” Pennsylvania’s official celebration of Groundhog Day began on Feb. 2, 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 Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators, and Weather Prophet Extraordinary’’ and his hometown thus called the “Weather Capital of the World.” His debut performance: no shadow - early spring. The legendary first trip to Gobbler’s Knob was made the following year.