This Day in Pop Culture for February 2
1887: The First Groundhog Day
On this day in 1887, Punxsutawney Phil made his first appearance at Gobbler’s Knob as a rodent meteorologist. The rules then are the same as they are now: if the groundhog see his shadow, it is predicted that there will be six more weeks of winter. If he sees no shadow, an early spring is predicted. Thousands of people make the trek to Gobbler’s Knob each year for music and celebration. Ironically, the 1993 movie, was released on February 12th.
1913: Grand Central Station Opens
It was on this day in 1913 that the Grand Central Terminal, also known as Grand Central Station, in Midtown Manhattan in New York City opened. It was built by the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad. The station covers 48 acres, has 44 platforms (more than any other railroad station in the world) and serves 41 tracks on the upper level and 26 on the lower level. Soon after, mothers everywhere began to compare the activity in their homes to the activity at the station, which is also one of most visited tourist attractions in the United States.
Birthdays
- 1937: Tom Smothers (comedian)
- 1947: Farrah Fawcett (actress)
- 1948: Ina Garten (chef)
- 1954: Christie Brinkley (model)
- 1977: Shakira (singer)
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