Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Groundhog’s Day

The extent of my Groundhog's Day knowledge came from the 1993 comedy Groundhog's Day starring Bill Murray. Here are some interesting tidbits about the actual day.

According to the Travel Channel, there is a lot we probably didn't know about Groundhog's Day in Punxsutawney, PA.

Where does the name Punxsutawney come from?
Punxsutawney was first settled by the Delaware Indians in 1723 and its name comes from the Indian name for the location "ponksad-uteney" which means the "town of the sandflies." The name woodchuck also has Indian origins, coming from the legend of "Wojak, the groundhog."

Where exactly is Punxsutawney?
Punxsutawney is located in Western Pennsylvania, about 80 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

How did Phil get his name?
The groundhog's full name is actually "Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators and Weather Prophet Extraordinary." It was so proclaimed by the "Punxsutawney Groundhog Club" in 1887, the same year they declared Punxsutawney to be the weather capital of the world.

How do you know it is really Phil at Gobbler's Knob?
for most of the year, Phil lives in a climate-controlled home at the Punxsutawney Library. He is taken to Gobbler's Knob and placed in a heated burrow underneath a simulated tree stump on stage before being pulled out at 7:25 am on Groundhog Day, February 2, to make his prediction.

How old is Phil anyway?
Phil is reputed by townspeople to be more than 100 years old, surviving beyond a marmot's normal life span thanks to the strong constitution of his wife, Phyllis, and a steady diet of Groundhog Punch.

Was the 1993 film Groundhog Day really filmed in Punxsutawney?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. Columbia Pictures decided to film the movie in a location more accessible to a major metropolitan center. Punxsutawney is located in a very rural area with few highways, so Woodstock, Illinois was chosen as the site for the movie. As a result adjustments had to be made for the production. The actual Gobbler's Knob is a wooded hill with a beautiful view; the Gobbler's Knob in the movie is moved to the town square though it is recreated to scale based on detailed notes and videos the crew made on its visit to Punxsutawney.

I can't make it to Gobbler's Knob this year? Is the ceremony going to be on TV?
Most major television stations across the country, as well as the big screen in Times Square, broadcast the official Groundhog Day ceremony.

What can I expect at the Punxutawney Groundhog Day celebration?
Plan to arrive in Punxutawney no later than 6am in time to catch one of several shuttles providing transportation to Gobbler's Knob (there is no parking at the Knob). Or, arrive a day or two earlier for a weekend of action-packed events including a chili cook-off, ice carving exhibitions, trivia contests, a Prognosticators Ball, groundhog day weddings, sleigh rides, woodchuck whittling, the Phil Phind Scavenger Hunt, music, food, fun and games. If you happen to be celebrating a birthday on February 2nd, then you are invited to join others who share the special day for Phil's Birthday Celebration and a free souvenir.

[via: Travel Channel]