Hog History
Every February 2, crowds gather at Gobbler's Knob in the small town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, waiting for a groundhog named Phil to emerge from his hole. Legend has it that if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, winter will last for six more weeks. If he does not cast a shadow, then spring is on the way.
But the real story behind Groundhog Day is not one of metaphysical powers or meteorological mysteries. The phenomenon that is Groundhog Day derives from a mixture of cultural traditions and marketing savvy, woven together by a man with a flare for language.
A major ingredient in the myth is the holiday of Candlemas, a Christian celebration that dates back to the 4th Century. On this day, priests would bless ceremonial candles and hand them out to the public. The weather on this day was said to be prophetic, with sunny skies indicating six more weeks of winter and overcast skies meaning an early spring. Roman legions brought this tradition to the Germanic peoples of central Europe. They added to the myth, claiming that if a hedgehog cast a shadow on Candlemas, winter would continue.
The Pennsylvania Dutch, the early Germanic settlers of Western Pennsylvania, brought the Candlemas tradition with them to their new home. Finding hedgehogs in short supply, they assimilated the local Native American esteem for the groundhog. Called "oijik" (from which we derive the name "woodchuck"), the Delaware Indians believed the groundhog to be the forebear of humankind.
By the end of the 1800s, the tradition had all but died out. The groundhog was more likely to be considered a mealtime treat than a subject of reverence. The tale might have disappeared altogether, were it not for a local newspaper editor named Clymer H. Freas. In 1887, a party of local groundhog hunters was out on an expedition. They feasted happily on their catch and washed dinner down with locally brewed beer. Inspired by the revelry of this group, Freas dubbed them the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. Recalling the Germanic and Native American legends, he declared that the groundhog was the definitive judge of all things meteorological. Perhaps looking to boost newspaper sales, Freas created a home for a groundhog on Gobbler's Knob and insisted that only the animal residing there truly had the power. The groundhog would emerge on February 2 and communicate his findings in "groundhogese".
Freas then publicized the event. Year after year, he wrote florid, literary descriptions of the prowess of the great groundhog at Gobbler's Knob. Soon his accounts were published nationwide.
In 1952, Sam Light took charge of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. A former coal operator, he added a touch of ceremony to the event, providing that members of the club's InneCircle wear tall silk hats and black cutaway coats when addressing Phil.
As the legend grew, so too did media interest in the event. In 1993, a feature film starring Bill Murray entitled Groundhog Day put the town of Punxsutawney in the spotlight. While the film was actually shot in Wisconsin, Murray traveled to Punxsutawney to study up for the part. This year, the prediction in Punxsutawney will be broadcast around the world, while thousands flood the town in the hopes of catching a glance of Phil. Freas' dream of a national event bringing recognition and revenue to the tiny town of Punxsutawney has been realized on a grand scale.
