It’s February 1st. This day in 1877, the first Groundhog Day ceremony is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania — in which a small rodent’s shadow determines long-term meteorological forces.
Jody, Niki and Kellie discuss how this ceremony came to be, and some of the very weird elements, from elixirs of everlasting life to secret societies pulling the strings.
Sign up for our newsletter! Get your hands on This Day merch!
Find out more at thisdaypod.com
This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.
Your support helps foster independent, artist-owned podcasts and award-winning stories.
If you want to support the show directly, you can do so on our website: ThisDayPod.com
Get in touch if you have any ideas for future topics, or just want to say hello. Follow us on social @thisdaypod
Our team: Jacob Feldman, Researcher/Producer; Brittani Brown, Producer; Khawla Nakua, Transcripts; music by Teen Daze and Blue Dot Sessions; Audrey Mardavich is our Executive Producer at Radiotopia
What Do We Call The President? w/ A.J. Jacobs
The Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)
A Deep Dive Into The Cultural Cold War (1960) w/ Benjamen Walker
Pepsi Trades Soda For Soviet Warships (1989)
The Columbia Protests (1968)
Veepstakes Week: JFK Picks LBJ (1960)
Veepstakes Week: The Legend Of The Sarah Palin Cruise Ship (2007)
Veepstakes Week: Does A VP Pick Matter?
The Great San Francisco Earthquake (1906)
Walter Cronkite's America (1962)
George W. Bush Meets With Gay Voters (2000) w/ Neil J. Young
Democrats Seize Power In South Carolina (1877)
Marian Anderson Sings On The Steps Of The Lincoln Memorial (1939)
Wisconsin Tries To Recall Scott Walker (2012)
Why William Henry Harrison Really Died (1841)
The Richmond Bread Riots (1863)
Truman Says He Won't Seek Re-Election (1952)
The Slaveowner Executed for Killing His Slave (1839)
DC Plants The Cherry Blossoms (1912)
Lincoln's Avenger And The Aftermath Of Assassination (1894) [[Archive Episode]]
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Criminal
Ear Hustle
Song Exploder
The Truth
the memory palace