Gobbler's Knob

By -
One of Pennsylvania's best known traditions is the Groundhog Day ceremony at Gobbler's Knob, just outside of beautiful Punxsutawney. Every February 2 since 1887, thousands of people descend upon Gobbler's Knob well before sunrise in order to witness Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow or not and to make his bold prediction to the famed Inner Circle about whether or not there will be six more weeks of winter. I visited Gobbler's Knob to get a glimpse of the surroundings for myself, during a much quieter spring day.

Because Punxsutawney Phil is the prognosticator of prognosticators, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania fashions itself as the Weather Capital of the World.
Yes, I can believe it!

The stage where Punxsutawney Phil makes his prediction every February 2.

A close up of the stage. Punxsutawney Phil does not live in that tree stump. There is a home for the groundhog called Phil's Burrow, located in downtown Punxsutawney. There is a window from the outside so people can see Punxsutawney Phil the rest of the year.
A little bit of history regarding Groundhog Day.

An information kiosk at Gobbler's Knob explaining the history of Gobbler's Knob and Groundhog Day, as well as advertising things to see and do while you are visiting Punxsutawney.
One of the local technical schools made some art displays to celebrate Groundhog Day and what it means for the local community.



Sources and Links:
Punxsutawney Groundhog Club - Groundhog Day
Atlas Obscura - Gobbler's Knob

How to Get There:
Location: 1548 Woodland Ave, Punxsutawney, PA 15767, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Somerfield and the Great Crossings Bridge

By -
Image
West of Addison, US 40 crosses the Youghiogheny River at what once was the town of Somerfield.  When crossing the current modern two lane bridge, you many not realize that it is actually the third to cross the Yough at this site.  The first - a stone arch bridge - was known as the Great Crossings Bridge.  Built in 1818, this three arch bridge was part of the original National Road.  The name Great Crossings comes from the men who forded the Youghiogheny here - George Washington and George Braddock. (1)  If you cross the bridge at the right time, this historic bridge and what was once the town of Somerfield will appear out from underneath this massive man-made lake. Historical Postcard showing the 'Big Crossings' bridge and Somerfield.  Image submitted by Vince Ferrari. The Great Crossings Bridge was located in the town of Somerfield.  Somerfield, originally named Smythfield until 1827, would develop as a result of the National Road. (1)  Somerfield would go th
Read more

John Eisenhower Bridge

By -
Image
When you explore the back roads around Gettysburg, you'll most likely find some great things.  Just behind the Eisenhower Farm on Red Rock Road - and not that long of a stroll from Sachs Covered Bridge - is an 1886 iron truss bridge named after Dwight Eisenhower's son, John.  John Eisenhower was an officer in the United States Army, served as the US Ambassador to Belgium, and was a military historian. The John Eisenhower Bridge crosses Willoughby Run, and its use is limited to bicycles and pedestrians.  The 84-foot-long bridge was designed and constructed by Gibert & Smith.  It is a Pratt-through truss design.  Flood waters severely damaged the bridge in 1996.  Two years later, the bridge was completely restored.  In 2012, Adams County completed a project  fully refurbishing the bridge deck. Willoughby Run Like the nearby Sachs Covered Bridge, the Eisenhower Bridge is considered haunted.  It is known locally as the " Suicide Bridge ;" ghost hunters from throughout
Read more

Inwood Iron Bridge - Lebanon County, Pennsylvania

By -
Image
  While the number of historic iron truss and metal truss bridges has been dwindling over the years due to several factors, occasionally a bridge will be preserved for its historical value. Such is the case of the Inwood Iron Bridge, which was built in 1899 and located near Lickdale, Pennsylvania. The Inwood Iron Bridge was fabricated by the Pittsburgh Bridge Company and erected by Nelson and Buchanan of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. It is historically significant as one of the oldest surviving Pennsylvania thru truss highway bridges in Pennsylvania. Early examples of Pennsylvania (Petit) thru-truss highway bridges from before the 20th Century were not common as the design was more often used for railroad bridges. Only a handful of such roadway bridges have been identified around Pennsylvania, making the Inwood Iron Bridge more historically significant. The 151-foot-long Inwood Iron Bridge crossed Swatara Creek and was located not far from Swatara State Park in Lebanon County, Pennsylvan
Read more