French Creek Freddie to emerge on Sunday

FRENCH CREEK, W.Va.— A big crowd is anticipated Sunday at the West Virginia Wildlife Center for the annual celebration of Groundhog Day.

Things get started at 9 a.m. at the facility in French Creek and the public is invited to come see West Virginia’s official groundhog “French Creek Freddie.” Freddie will emerge from his lair to predict whether we’re looking at six more weeks of winter or an early spring, all hinging on whether he happens to see his shadow.

The ceremony is at 10 a.m. but there are activities throughout the day. Wildlife Center Manager Trevor Moore said it’s always an opportunity to educate, which is the mission of the Wildlife Center.

“Groundhogs are actually members of the rodent family and they are really closely related to squirrels, so they’re a type of ground squirrel and are also known as marmots,” he explained.

He’ll be delivering a talk on groundhog biology as part of the festivities.

“They’re amazing diggers. They can dig huge burrows and move as much as 700 pounds of dirt during a summer, much to the chagrin of farmers or anyone who has one digging under their house,” he added.

The Groundhog Day traditions started back in Germany where the culture observed a hedgehog or badger for the purpose of determining the status of early spring or winter’s continuation. When German immigrants migrated into America, they brought along the tradition, but not the hedgehogs so they had to pick a new animal. The abundant groundhogs of the region seemed to be the perfect fit.

“They settled primarily in Pennsylvania and I’m assuming that’s why Groundhog Day is such a huge deal up there,” said Moore.

Gates to the West Virginia Wildlife Center open at 9 a.m. Sunday. Freddie emerges at 10 a.m. and afterward there are a variety of contests and refreshments at the facility’s gift shop.