It is one of only six non-island locations in the 48 contiguous states not directly connected to them by land, which are exclaves of the U.S. The original name of the town, Alburgh, was changed to Alburg in 1891 by recommendation of the United States Board on Geographic Names.
In 1997, there were 35,000 visitors in Punxsutawney, five times the Jefferson County town's 6,700 population. The Groundhog Day festivities on February 2, 1992 were joined by Bill Murray studying for his role in the movie. Then, Columbia Pictures set out to recreate the Punxsutawney Groundhog Day down to the smallest detail. There were, however, many changes made.
Groundhog hibernation gave rise to the popular American custom of Groundhog Day, held on the second of February every year. Tradition dictates that if a groundhog sees its shadow that day, there will be six more weeks of winter, though such a prediction seems a sure bet over much of the groundhog's North American range. In the spring, females welcome a litter of perhaps a half dozen newborns, which stay with their mother for several months.