Punxsutawney Phil is probably the most famous groundhog in the United States.
Every Groundhog Day, the town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania is packed with visitors who all come to see whether Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow and predict a short or long winter.
In the early morning of February 2nd, the leaders of Punxsutawney gather on Gobbler's Knob, the site of Phil's burrow, and wait for Phil to crawl out. Sometimes he has to be dragged out!
If it is sunny and Phil sees his shadow, it means 6 more weeks of winter. If it is cloudy and Phil does not see his shadow, it means that spring will be soon.
Punxsutawney held its first Groundhog Day in the 1800's after the arrival of Pennsylvania's early German settlers. The first official gathering at Gobbler's Knob was on February 2, 1887.
Punxsutawney's fame really grew after the release of the movie, Groundhog Day, in 1993. Since then, Punxsutawney Phil has visited the White House, been on TV many times, and has attracted thousands of tourists to the town of Punxsutawney.
©Courseware Solutions Wordville.com for Fun English Language Arts Learning