Virginia used to have an official groundhog; it killed itself on Groundhog Day 1954

[underpants]

This story originally appeared in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 1954 with the headline "Groundhog Dies Before Making Annual Forecast."

The groundhog dropped dead yesterday, but it wasn’t because of the balmy weather.

The groundhog was caged in Capitol Square so everybody could watch him make his annual Groundhog Day weather prediction. But he killed himself trying to get out of his cage at the State Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.


In destroying himself yesterday, the groundhog also destroyed hopes for his annual forecast. The groundhog myth has it that the animal scurries back into his hole; portending 40 more days of Winter, if he sees his shadow on Groundhog Day.

The Weatherman, though, went right ahead last night with his 30-day outlook. He said precipitation is expected to exceed normal along the Atlantic seaboard, with much of it in the form of snow from Virginia northward.





http://www.richmond.com/from-the-archives/article_80595b68-e37c-5bf4-a1d5-729168306eba.html

[HassleCat]

1. No such problem in Punxsy.

Punxsutawney Phil lives in a den in the library. He has no thought of escaping. When they take him out for a photo shoot, he runs right back to the library.

[KittyWampus]

2. well that's darkly symbolic of something.

[underpants]

4. The squirrels are okay

There's a fountain in Capital Square that squirrels used to get in and drown. The work crew (about) 20 years ago built wooden steps leading into the fountain and added a little life preserver on the side.

The statue of Harry Byrd is still in Capital Square.

[Freedomofspeech]

3. Groundhog Day

Last edited Thu Feb 2, 2017, 10:03 AM - Edit history (1)

One more embarrassment for PA. Will he be dressed in camo this year and holding a trump flag?

[pat_k]

5. How awful.