Groundhog Day is February Second

Groundhog Day is a popular North American tradition observed on February 2 each year.

It derives from many different superstitions such as noted in the article from the Wyoming Semi Weekly, Cheyenne, on February 4, 1910. Groundhog Day: Many Superstitions Gather Around Second Day of February. Candlemas Day is of Ancient Origin but Weather Prognostications by the Groundhog Are of American Origin — Borne of the Traditions and Verses Associated with the Day. (From Wednesday’s Daily.) Today Feb 2 the day and date on which the groundhog decides his meteorological conditions for six weeks to come, if the old superstitions surrounding Candlemas Day are to be accepted at their face value. Uncle Sam’s weather sharps, however, cast many and severe reflections on their prophetic rival, asserting that for the last three years the groundhog has been all off in his prognostications.

There are many old rhymes and traditions upon which weather prophesies have been based….. “If Candlemas Day be fair and bright Winter will take another flight, but if Candlemas Day bring cloud and rain Winter is gone and won’t come again.” The introduction of the groundhog into the traditions surrounding the second of February is an American innovation and is said to have originated with the (African American) superstitions of “Ol Virginny.”

According to their stories, the groundhog wakes up from a long sleep and comes out on the second day of February to see if the winter is over. If the day is clear and bright so that the sun throws a shadow on the snow the groundhog takes fright and returns to his hole for six weeks more. If it is a cloudy day, however, he remains out overnight and as a consequence warm weather commences immediately and the farmers prepare for an early spring. A groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day sees its shadow due to clear weather, it will retreat to its den and winter will go on for six more weeks; if it does not see its shadow because of cloudiness, spring will arrive early.

The Pennsylvania Dutch and other areas of the United States have similar folklore, although in German lore, a badger is the forecasting animal, and it could be a bear or a fox.

The most famous Groundhog Day ceremony is held each year near Punxsutawney, Penn., on Gobbler’s Knob that is located in a rural area about 2 miles southeast of the town. The celebration is an old one, that began formally in 1887.

In the Rock River Review from Rock River, Wyo., on February 6, 1920, an article describes the celebration:

…...A community celebration of a somewhat different character but equally effective In its advertising power. Is the Ground-Hog day picnic at Punxsutawney. Pa. At this novel annual event farmers, politicians and former residents to the number of many thousands gather to share in eating a splendid repast, the principal feature of which is ground-hog meat. The meat is cooked in barbecue and invariably wins the praise of the celebrants. Speeches and informal hearty greetings of old friends occupy the afternoon. While this event is not designed to advertise a farm product, its distinctive character and the fine spirit of hospitality that it obtains puts Punxsutawney and the surrounding country on the map.

Wyoming folk felt that Pennsylvania was too far away for an accurate forecast, and in this article from the February 5, 1892 issue of the Newcastle News, the writer wonders if Wyoming should have its own weather animal. February 2 was Ground Hog Day The day was fair. As we have no ground hogs in the country, we will have to try the experiment on a badger, and if he can see his shadow.

In 1984, Lander, Wyoming, businesswoman Mary Ann Atwood organized a Groundhog’s Day event at a nearby prairie dog colony, and one prairie dog was named, “Lander Lil.” When the Lander Post Office was built on the site, Lander Lil was immortalized with a three-foot-tall bronze statue by artist Bev Paddleford, a local sculptor. Beverly and her husband, Monte, own Eagle Bronze Foundry in Lander. The actual celebration has not been held for many years, but Lander Lil’s statue remains, and continues to predict the length of the winter on Groundhog Day.

Even if Wyoming didn’t always have an animal forecaster, the residents were interesting in finding out what the groundhog predicted.

In the Converse County Herald, from Lusk, on February 18, 1897: Tuesday was groundhog day and if the old adage proves true we will have six weeks more of winter weather, as on that day the sun appeared from behind the clouds, Mr. Groundhog got scared at his own shadow and hid himself to his den in the ground, there to remain for six weeks.

February of 1903 must have been very cold and snowy, a least around Lusk. In the Converse County Herald on the 5th.If the hog was fool enough to venture out that day, we hope that he never found his burrow again, which will settle groundhog day as far as this section is concerned forever….

Cowley Weekly Progress Friday, February 3, 1911 Yesterday was the proverbial groundhog day and of course the little beast saw its shadow, which, according to an old saw, indicates another six weeks of winter. Well, if its to be of the same brand we have thus far had, let ‘er went and welcome.

In the Kemmerer Republican Kemmerer, Wyoming, Friday, February 6, 1920, Mr. Groundhog Saw His Shadow Six weeks more of winter. This is the verdict of the groundhog, which like every dog, has his day. The groundhog’s day is, and has been from time immemorial, February 2. On this day he emerges from his warm winter quarters, stretches out the kinks which several months of hibernation, have put in his framework and clambers out into the great open. He then sits up and gets an eye full of weather conditions, but his future movements are held in abeyance until he can look around and see his shadow— much depends on this apparently trivial matter— for if the sun is shining and Old Man Groundhog sees his shadow, he retires to the inner recesses of his winter sanctuary and remains for six weeks, knowing m his own mysterious way that there will be that much more winter. Unless blinded by the snow or handicapped by dark goggles, he should have had no difficulty in seeing his shadow, Monday, so speculation as to the length of the winter which is still undelivered may be set at rest.

In Greybull, 1923 was windy and cold, as we see in this clipping from the Greybull Tribune on February 2.

Groundhog Day has found its way into the movies as well. In the 1993 Bill Murray comedy movie Groundhog Day, Murray portrays Phil Connors, a cynical television weatherman who is not happy about covering Groundhog Day’s festivities and is condemned to relive Groundhog Day over and over until he gets his life on track.

Of course, most Wyomingites are of the same mind as this writer in the Newcastle Newsletter, February 2,1922, Today, is Groundhog Day. If he sees his shadow today, we are in for six more weeks of winter and if he don’t see it, we will probably get the six weeks of winter anyway.

So, Happy Groundhog Day, and lets hope none of us has to relive it over and over.