It was a bit more than a century ago, in 1898, when many of the good citizens of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, and environs, got together to form the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, formalizing what had been going on for more than two decades in the region. Ten years later, in 1908, a rival group in another Pennsylvania town founded the Slumbering Groundhog Lodge of Quarryville. As the years passed, still others elsewhere in the state and nation organized similar clubs. Since then there has been a considerable amount of good nature ribbing among them, especially between Punxsutawney and Quarryville.

The name "Groundhog Day" was applied sometime during the second half of the 19th century. Its popularity and practice spread westward with the constant flow of settlers who were pushing the frontier ever backwards. It was in Missouri that Groundhog Day reached the apex of respectability, when the state legislature declared it to be officially on February 2nd.

Of great interest to collectors are the small number of postcards published prior to 1914 about this observance.

Finding Groundhog Day cards is somewhat of a challenge. Their scarcity is probably best explained by the regional nature of the event. It was mainly celebrated in pockets of farming communities, especially in the Northeast.

It was also heavily promoted by the towns of Quarryville and Punxsutawney as a tourist attraction. But cards published since the end of World War II are much easier to find.

The Groundhog Day postcards most collectors are familiar with are those published by Henderson Litho Company. Notated as "Comic Series No. 101," four cards make up the set. Each card used an illustration of groundhogs in comedic attire and the symbol "Feb. 2." Of course, the inevitable shadow is also shown and the verse matches the picture and complements the holiday.

The caption or opening line of the verses for these four cards follows:

"May Miss Fortune's shadow never cross your path."
"That's some shadow, believe me..."
"May the shadow of your purse..."
"Don't get so chesty, any old hog can see his shadow..."

Many now rare postcards were published with direct ties to Punxsutawney and it can be assumed these were on sale during the yearly observance which drew good crowds to the town to celebrate the ersatz holiday. These seem to date around 1908 to 1910. At least two by artist Elmer E. Beck relate to the groundhog and the custom if not the specific holiday. A card, published by Davenport Manufacturing Co., Johnstown, Pennsylvania, shows a formally dressed groundhog surrounded by bottles filled with weather. At the top is "Bre'r Groundhog at work in the weather factory," and at the bottom is "Punxsutawney."

In the 1930s and especially the 1940s, a large number of linen postcards of the Punxsutawney groundhog were published.

These are mostly photographic types of real groundhogs - probably, in most cases, the "official" animal for the town's celebration. Others are illustrations, often large letters, maps or name band {ribbon} styles. Some comic styles make use of the day and the idea of shadows for puns or gags.

A few modern-day Groundhog Day cards have been published. One by Wright MacMillan, in 1948, is quite interesting.

Cartoon style and titled "Merry February 2nd!" it depicts a groundhog being scared not by his shadow but by a small worm standing in his way.

Chromes from the 1950s and '60s are also highly collectable. These have ties not only to the Pennsylvanian affairs, but to those in other states, as well, such as Sun prairie, Wisconsin, which on one card pronounces itself "The Groundhog Capitol."

Finally, during the 1980s and into the early years of this decade, Spirit Printing in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, published several continental size sepia postcards of artist illustrations about Groundhog Day. Some of these bear the copyright and signature of "Weiss" and are well worth the search.

If you are fortunate enough to be in possession of any Groundhog Day postcards, whether old or new, then you own a nice piece of American folklore. They cast a long shadow of collect ability and give pleasure year round, though on February second they somehow shine brighter.

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