Groundhog Day in the Journal – 1926, 1936, 1946, 1956, 1966 and 1976

Well, it's Groundhog Day! I don't know about you, but I enjoy it more than a lot of other holidays. It's fun to watch the hoopla in Punxsutawney on TV each year. And it's a nice little break in our routine.

I mentioned to my younger co-worker that making the trip to Punxsutawney for Groundhog Day was on my bucket list, and she looked at me like I was nuts (even more than usual). She'd never seen the activity on Gobbler's Knob on TV, and in fact had never watched Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. Too bad.

Anyway, as is my custom here, here's some of the Lorain Journal's coverage of Groundhog Day over the years, starting in 1926 and going forward in ten-year increments.

No mention of Punxsutawney Phil in this article from Feb. 2, 1926. But Herr Adolph Groundhog predicts an early spring.

It had been a tough, old-time winter by the time Groundhog Day 1936 came around, as indicated in this article from Feb. 3, 1936. "The groundhog" isn't mentioned until a few paragraphs from the end.

The Lorain Journal had Groundhog Fever in 1946. First, it printed an article on the eve of Groundhog Day. It mentions the upcoming event in Punxsutawney, Pa. near the end.

Then on Feb. 2, 1946 the paper mentioned the groundhog in two separate articles. In the United Press article (below), the groundhog in Punxsutawney is not yet known as Phil. "Thus Chuck (he's also a woodchuck, you see) maintained his 76-year-old tradition as weather prognosticator," it notes.

But the report made as part of a larger article about a "Zero Cold Wave" in Lorain mentions dueling groundhogs in Quarryville, Pa. and Punxsutawney, Pa. (We'll have to ask Keystone State's No. 1 son Don Hilton as to which one he endorsed over the years.)

No national coverage of Groundhog Day in the Lorain Journal for 1956. "If there were any groundhogs in Lorain and if they did come out of hibernation yesterday and if seeing their shadows had anything to do with it, Lorainites can look for spring any day now," said the article which appeared on Feb. 3, 1956. "There were no shadows to be seen in Lorain yesterday."

In 1966, the Journal created some anticipation of Groundhog Day with this cute photo of "Mr. Groundhog" that appeared on Feb. 1, 1966. But unfortunately there was no mention of the prediction that was made in the paper on Feb. 2nd. (Phil did see his shadow, though.)

Groundhog Day 1976 brought gusty winds and near-zero temperatures to the area as noted in the article below that appeared on Feb. 2, 1976. But even with the detailed account of the weather and how it affected area cities, the article still made it a priority to mention our favorite groundhog. It notes, "Speaking of Pennsylvania, February 2's favorite myth emerged in Punxsutawney from his electrically heated burrow, saw his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter. Phil, the groundhog, thus upheld a tradition 90 years old."

Groundhog Day Through the Years

Vintage postcard courtesy of CardCow.com

1942 Postcard now on Ebay

I like Groundhog Day. It's a fun little break in the middle of cold, depressing winter.

The 1993 comedy with Bill Murray (one of my favorite movies) really raised the level of awareness and excitement connected with the holiday. The weather prediction from Gobbler's Knob seems to get coverage on even the most serious of news broadcasts, as well as widespread newspaper coverage.

Was it always like this? I hit the microfilm at the library to see what Groundhog Days of the past were like.

The first year I checked – 1942 – was kind of interesting. We were at war, and thus everything was affected – even the Groundhog.

Here's the front page article from January 30, 1942 from The Lorain Journal and the Times-Herald, explaining why the Groundhog in Punxsutawney would be taking a break.

I didn't know there was a rival groundhog at Quarryville. I guess the poor guy needed a better agent.

During the following year, the Lorain newspaper apparently found another groundhog to interview. Joe Groundhog followed the lead of his cousin in Punxsutawney, and refused to report if he saw his shadow. As he stated, "Anything you write may be picked up by the fifth column and transmitted to the third Reich so you of the fourth estate had better be careful what you say in the first and second places." He added, "Wouldn't Hitler like to know whether we are going to have six more weeks of winter or not?"

Lorain's weather forecast for that Groundhog Day of 1943 was for slowly rising temperatures, after a noon reading of 24 and a high of 26.

In 1951, Lorain was in the middle of a cold spell (the overnight for Feb. 2 was predicted to be 5 below) but it was sunny. Thus the following article appeared on the front page of Groundhog Day 1951.

On February 2, 1952 the Lorain Journal sent a nameless reporter out to interview another local groundhog, and apparently the creature was in a cantankerous mood after being disturbed.

"Get your stinking foot out of my tunnel, Bub," the groundhog is quoted as saying in the amusing report. "You may be a newspaper reporter to some people but you're a pain in the neck to me. Why don't you go out and rake up a juicy murder or something instead of giving me a headache?"

The groundhog continued. "Ya wanta know about the weather? Sure. I'll tell ya. It's gonna rain, sleet, hail, snow, thunder, lightning and you're going to have tornadoes. Now are ya satisfied?"

The Journal did accompany their reporter's story with a small photo and caption of 'the Punxsutawney Groundhog' emerging from his home (below).

By 1962, the coverage of Groundhog Day was a little more restrained in the newspaper, and the Journal went with the straight wire report from Punxsutawney.

There's that groundhog from Quarryville again, mentioned in the article and muscling in on Phil's racket.

It turns out that Quarryville is still Pennsylvania's second major Groundhog Day center of celebration. You can read about here and here. They seem to really resent Phil's success.

Anyway, here is the link to the official Punxsutawney Phil website, where you can watch a webscast of the event. And, of course, here is Phil's Facebook page.

Have a great Groundhog Day!

Undated vintage postcard

Happy Groundhog Day!

Well, it’s Groundhog Day 2022. To kick off the celebration, here are a few vintage postcards (all culled from eBay) in honor of the holiday.

According to the back of this card, this is Punxsutawney Phil at the Civic Center Zoo, instead of his usual digs at Gobbler’s Knob. He looks a little cranky. I like his little groundhog grotto, though.

This 1970 postcard (below) is labeled "PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. – Headquarters of the Groundhog.” Phil looks a little younger in this one. Maybe he had a few swigs of his magical punch that keeps him eternally young?

Suspiciously, this postcard with an identical groundhog has the inscription “Greetings from MINERAL CITY, Ohio.” Buckeye Chuck lives in Marion, so I’m not sure who this guy is.

And here’s another Groundhog muscling in on Phil’s turf. The back of the card reads, “Meet “Jimmy the Groundhog” emerging to make his Feb. 2nd prognostication. Resident Celebrity, Jimmy lives in Sun Prairie, WI – The Groundhog Capital of the World!"

And here’s one last groundhog glossy. The caption on the back of this postcard reads, “Yep! I’m a ground hog as any one can plainly see. Nope! I didn’t come out to see my shadow. I do that only on Feb. 2nd.”

But Dan, you might be wondering – where is Phil’s forecast from 1972?

Ah, unfortunately that was one of the years when the Journal completely ignored the festivities in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. 

So here’s the 1952 report from seventy years ago instead. It ran in the Journal on Groundhog Day 1952.  It includes a photo of Punxsutawney Phil and his prediction, but also has a local angle in which a Journal reporter interviews a groundhog. It’s pretty funny how the groundhog showers him with abuse for bothering him.

And from that same edition of the Journal, here’s a cute ad for Employee Transit Lines with a great groundhog illustration.

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For a real dose of Groundhog Day déja vu, be sure to visit my past posts on this topic.

1959 - Lorain's Weather Forecasting Groundhog

You've heard of Punxsutawney Phil the groundhog. But did you know that Lorain had its own groundhog prognosticator back in 1959?

The article below from the Feb. 2, 1959 Lorain Journal explains it all.

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Groundhog Emulates Scrooge
Porky Prognosticator Proves Too Fearful for Forecasting

It looks as if Lorain just never will out-groundhog Punxsutawney, Pa.

Groundhog's Day dawned bright and clear here (a great day for shadows and all that), but for all Lorain's entry in the groundhog stakes seemed to care it might as well have been the Chinese New Year.

Each year Punxsutawney's porky prognosticator pokes his prying proboscis into the Great Outdoors, takes a quick glance over his shoulder and decides whether we'll have six more weeks of winter.

If he sees his shadow, winter is here to stay awhile. If he doesn't – Nellie fling wide the doors, for spring is here again.

Well, sir, this works fine in Punxsutawney.

So bright and early this find Groundhog's Day, The Journal looked up Lorain's own bonafide resident groundhog who happened to be owned by Tommy Zurnisky of 1522 W. 22nd St.

Would Tommy's groundhog join his fellow forecaster from Punxsutawney and give Lorainites a hint as to whether they should unplug their electric blankets?

He would not.

Would he stick his little snout out of his warm-as-toast cage just long enough for a fast picture – with or without shadow?

He would not.

Would he even answer a couple of questions on his opinion of Groundhog's Day?

He would not.

So that's the way it goes.

Christmas had its Scrooge.

Groundhog's Day has Lorain's own grumpy groundhog.

Bah! Humbug.

But maybe it's just as well. If he had deigned to saunter outside today he most certainly would have seen his shadow – and winter probably would have lasted until July.

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As for Punxsutawney Phil that year, according to the official report in the Journal that same day, he "darn near froze to death." It was 10 below zero at Gobbler's Knob that day and the groundhog "poked his nose out and, as promptly, scurried back into his hole." Meaning six more weeks of winter.

Vintage postcard

It's almost Groundhog Day 2025!

Sunday is Groundhog Day! It's nice, because we can watch the festivities on TV live from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania without worrying about getting to work on time. It's always interesting see which Weather Channel personality gets to make the trip.

One of these days I'm gonna make that trip to Punxsutawney. (I know, I keep saying that.) It's on my bucket list (along with a lot of other intriguing activities requiring road trips, such as eating at the last Yogi Bear's Honey Fried Chicken, located in Hartsville, South Carolina).

I thought it was interesting that as far back as 1925, the Lorain Journal was mentioning Punxsutawney in its Groundhog Day coverage. Here's the front page story from Feb. 2, 1925 (below). As noted in comments left on past Groundhog Day posts, the critter didn't get the 'Phil' moniker until much later. Note how other cities also received some coverage for their groundhogs, including Detroit.

Even Lorain's arch rival Elyria received a Groundhog Day mention in the Journal in 1925.

There was no Groundhog Day coverage of Punxsutawney on Feb. 2, 1935 but a front page Journal story noted, "If tradition means anything, Lorain can look forward to an early spring because the groundhog failed to see his shadow today – traditional Groundhog Day.

It was a snowy Groundhog Day in Lorain in 1945, with snow blocking secondary roads and with a high of 21 degrees. Nevertheless, Lorain's Groundhog saw his shadow. The story was the same in Punxsutawney, as noted in the Journal story below from Feb. 2, 1945.

The Lorain Journal apparently ignored Groundhog Day 1955. Oh well, some years were like that. 

But ten years later, the paper mentioned both of Pennsylvania's famous furry forecasters: Punxsutawney Phil and the one at Quarryville. As a bonus, we get a photo of Woody, a groundhog who lives in Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo.

And even the Journal editorial from that day couldn't resist getting in on the fun.

Anyway, Happy Groundhog Day 2025!

Groundhog Day in Lorain – 1950 & 1960

Well, Sunday is Groundhog Day – and regular readers of this blog know I like to post about it each year. It's interesting seeing how the newspapers treated it in the past. Sometimes they ignored it, other times it was big news.

On this post, I showed what the Lorain Day News reported for Groundhog Day 1906.

On this post, I featured various Groundhog Days in Lorain, including 1942, 1943, 1951, 1952 and 1962.

I wrote about Lorain's own weather forecasting groundhog in 1959 here.

My 2017 post included the 1947 Journal mention of the holiday. The 2018 post had the 1968 coverage. And last year, my Groundhog Day post highlighted the 1969 celebration, as well as a bunch of vintage postcards.

Onward to this year.

Seventy years ago, the Journal seemingly snubbed Punxsutawney Phil in favor of his Pennsylvania rival: the Quarryville groundhog. Here's what ran on the front page of the Lorain Journal on the eve of the holiday.

But on Groundhog Day itself, the newspaper apparently went with a local groundhog's forecast, noting, "the ground hog failed to see his shadow in Ohio today." Here's the front page article.

Ten years later, Punxsutawney Phil was once again on top, probably thanks to a savvy agent. His forecast was featured in this story that ran on the front page of the February 2, 1960 Journal. However, a local groundhog owned by Ron Clapper of E. 29th Street received photo honors.

Anyway, Happy Groundhog Day!

Happy Groundhog Day!

This isn’t Phil; it’s an anonymous groundhog
in Shenandoah National Park

Hey, this isn’t Phil either. It’s just some
Wisconsin groundhog.

Longtime readers of this blog may feel like they’re experiencing their own Groundhog Day time loop as they read today’s post. 

That’s because as usual, I’m posting some vintage postcards and reviewing some of Punxsutawney Phil’s forecasts of the past as reported in the Journal.

We’ll start out on Groundhog Day 1961 – sixty years ago today – which fell on a Thursday. It had been pretty frosty in Lorain, with a low of 4 degrees forecast for that night. (I hope everyone took Reddy Kilowatt’s advice back then and bought one of those newfangled “electric bed coverings.")

While the Groundhog forecast made the front page that year, the article curiously neglected to name which furry meteorologist was doing the predicting. 

At least the Journal gave Mr. Groundhog’s forecast priority on the front page over a rather boring article about the possibility of nuclear war being triggered with the push of a button.

Ten years later on Groundhog Day 1971, Lorain was once again in the icy grip of Old Man Winter. This was the Journal front page article the day before. 

(Note that the cute photograph was taken by our man Gene Patrick. He had a real rapport with young people – in this case, Lorain High School students Colleen O’Brien and Brian McNulty.)

Unfortunately, Punxsutawney Phil didn’t make the front page that year. His forecast (six more weeks of winter, what else?) was buried like an ill-tossed Journal in the snow at the bottom of the Page 2 article about the weather.

Anyway, here’s hoping you have a fun and safe Groundhog Day!

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For more Phil-related Phun, er, fun, why not visit some past Groundhog Day posts?

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UPDATE (Feb. 3, 2021)

Here’s a screen grab of Phil yesterday as the members of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club read the "six more weeks of winter” prediction from the scroll. Phil looks kind of ornery!

Groundhog Day in the Journal – 1953 & 1963

Well, it's Groundhog Day – always a fun time on this blog seeing how the holiday played out in the Journal over the years. I've devoted many posts to it, with vintage postcards (such as the one above) dressing up the proceedings.

The Journal didn't always acknowledge Groundhog Day. Sometimes the goings-on in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania made the front page; other years it was ignored entirely.

The paper didn't always go with what Punxsutawney Phil predicted either. A Lorain groundhog was enlisted at least a few times.

And one of those times was on Groundhog Day, 1953, when the Journal editor had some fun with the holiday. In the whimsical article, he hires Woody Woodchuck of Lorain as a freelancer reporter of sorts to get his thoughts on the holiday.

Below is a transcribed version of the story for easier reading.

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Groundhog Explodes Old Myth, Shows Religious Connection

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following consists of a correspondence exchange between the editor of The Journal and Mr. Woody Woodchuck. We believe the letters themselves are more appropriate to use today than would be any story which could be written from them.

• • •

Mr. Woodchuck

13 Pasture Drive, Brown's Farm, Lorain, O.

Dear Woody,

This is written in haste and serves a dual purpose: (A) – It's an apology and (B) – it's a request.

Now, as you know, in past years we've managed to free a reporter from his duties for a whole day, just to interview you on Feb. 2, commonly known as "Groundhog Day." This year we find our reporters are all tied up with other matters and we'd like to ask if you might drop us a line or two, furnishing us with your views on said Groundhog Day.

I you can think of anything else which might be of interest, please add that, but keep it short. We'll expect to pay you for anything you send in and we print.

Cordially,

Mal Hartley,

Editor

• • • 

Mr. Mal Hartley,

Lorain Journal,

Lorain, O.

Dear Mal:

Enjoyed hearing from you today. Haven't heard anything from you since you fell in the entrance hole of my No. 5 den last spring. Couldn't have printed what I heard then anyhow, so guess it's for the best.

Be that as it may, I started to tear up your letter and give it to Mr. and Mrs. Field Mouse next door to use in lining the walls of their new nest (they're buying under the new FHA regulations, you know) when I happened to see the word 'pay' in it.

• • • 

To make a long story short, this has been a pretty rough winter on me – lots of guests dropping in and all that, and I can use some extra cash. Besides, my wife's brother, Goober Groundhog, dropped in for a short visit and has been with us all winter. (We call him Goober because he's nuts.)

I haven't had the education to write the high caliber kind of stuff you print in the Journal, so I'll just give you some facts about this Groundhog Day business and you can do it up as you please.

For one thing, there's a screwy take circulating about that Feb. 2 is the day we woodchucks are supposed to come out of hibernation to see the approach of spring. Well, that's certainly a wacky story to begin with, one any sensible person would laugh at.

Who cares to leave a nice warm bed just to satisfy an ancient superstition? So that's point No. 1. There "ain't no sech day."

If I see my shadow, that's supposed to mean I'll dive back underground and wait for six weeks of rugged weather. If the day is cloudy, however, I'm supposed to believe the next six weeks will be extremely mild. 

Well, you can see for yourself how stupid that is. If it were nice and sunny I'd stay above ground and – well, spring's on the way and there is a good looking little two-year-old over in Joe Williams' pasture. Shared an apple with her one day last fall. Sure is a cute little – oops. Sorry. That doesn't fit with the story, does it?

Anyhow, Groundhog Day is just a superstition. But you probably don't know, is that it's also known as Candlemas and has a religious significance.

Candlemas, that same old Feb. 2, is in commemoration of the presentation of Christ in the Temple. In the West it's known as the "Purification of the Blessed Virgin."

I don't know too much about all this, but my great grandfather, Wilbur Woodchuck, told us that Candlemas used to be on Feb. 14 (now your Valentine Day). You see, that was 40 days after Epiphany and the Armenians still celebrate that day.

But way back after Dec. 25 was finally picked as Christmas, Candlemas was moved to Feb. 2, 40 days after Christmas. In the East it's a festival of Christ and in the West a festival of the Virgin Mother.

I'll admit it's kind of hard to see how a religious observance ties in with Groundhog Day, but this is an American variation of the old tradition in the Christian world that a sunny Candlemas means a cold spring.

As the Scotch say, "If Candlemas is fair and clear, there will be two winters in the year." And here in American, way across the ocean, farmers will tell you, "February, second day, have half your corn and half your hay." That's so the animals will still have food left for the cold spell farmers think'll be coming along.

Maybe this hasn't been just what you wanted, but if it fills the purpose, just pay me off in grass or some other vegetables. I'm feeling kind of hungry after this long nap I just concluded!

Sincerely,

Woody Woodchuck

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Ten years later, the Journal decided to stick with Punxsutawney Phil's forecast, rather than hire local woodchuck talent. Here's the news item that appeared on the front page of the paper on February 2, 1963. Just as he would in 2023 earlier today, Phil predicted six more weeks of winter

Groundhog Day in the Journal – 1934, 1944, 1954 & 1964

Here's wishing you a Happy Groundhog Day! It's a nice little bit of fun and whimsy to break up the bleak winter. It's achieved greater prominence in the news in recent decades because of the popular 1993 movie (one of my favorites).

Here on the blog, I've done so many posts about it that it has earned its own label. (Consider visiting some of my old posts for that authentic 'Groundhog Day' deja vu experience! I've also featured so many vintage groundhog postcards that it's a challenge to find a new one each year.

Anyway, I like to see how the holiday played out in the Lorain Journal over the years. Sometimes the paper ignored it, other years it's front page news.

Groundhog Day 1934 included this great front page photo.

Apparently that isn't specifically Punxsutawney Phil in the photo. The article notes, "The groundhog's decision depends on what part of the map he chose to pop out of his hole.

"So far as Lorain is concerned, there were no shadows, the sun being covered by thick clouds throughout the day."

Ten years later on Groundhog Day 1944, the Lorain Journal gave Phil's wartime forecast front page coverage.

Fast forward another decade to Groundhog Day 1954, and the Lorain Journal didn't bother to mention Phil by name. But the forecast was the same: six more weeks of winter.

But by the time of Groundhog Day 1964, Punxsutawney Phil was back in the limelight in the Journal's coverage – and with the same forecast.

 

An official Punxsutawney Phil postcard portrait