Punxsutawney, a close-knit borough in western Pennsylvania, was bustling with trade and commerce when it gained worldwide prominence as the "weather capital of the world." Adopting an old-world custom brought here by German settlers, the community staged its first groundhog pageant on February 2, 1887, and in years thereafter nurtured and defended the legend until it took root. Around Punxsutawney includes much more than the story of Groundhog Day. It shows Punxsutawney emerging as the trade center for the numerous coal mining settlements that developed around it. Pictured are the ironworks...
Punxsutawney, a close-knit borough in western Pennsylvania, was bustling with trade and commerce when it gained worldwide prominence as the "weather c...