Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania
Punxsutawney is a borough of 5,665 people in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, founded in 1816.
Why visit Punxsutawney
Townapedia lists 8 museums and landmarks, 7 parks and trails, 27 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Jackson Theater, Christian Miller House, Jefferson Theater and Gobbler's Knob.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 17°F, and about 34 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Punxsutawney
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Punxsutawney
is a borough in southern Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 5,769. It is located approximately 84 miles (135 km) northeast of Pittsburgh. Punxsutawney is known for its annual Groundhog Day celebration held each February 2, during which thousands of attendees and media outlets visit the community for an annual weather "prediction" by the groundhog Punxsutawney Phil.
From the Wikipedia article Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks8
Christian Miller House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in Pennsylvania, United States
Jefferson Theater
Cinema and theater · National Register of Historic Places
Former theater in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, United States
T. M. Kurtz House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in Pennsylvania, United States
United States Post Office
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Government building in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania
Parks, trails and playgrounds7
Restaurants and cafes27
Pizza Hut
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.2 mi
21866 Route 119, Punxsutawney
Mo-Th,Su 10:30-22:00; Fr,Sa 10:30-23:00
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Punxy Phil's Family Restaurant
Restaurant · Steak House
116 Indiana Street, Punxsutawney
15 more on the map.
History
Shawnee wigwam villages once occupied this site on the Mahoning Creek. The first settlement that included non-indigenous people was established in 1772, when Reverend John Ettwein, a Moravian Church missionary, arrived with a band of 241 christianized Lenape. Swarms of gnats plagued early settlers and their livestock for years, and are blamed for Ettwein's failure to establish a permanent settlement there. The clouds of biting gnats eventually drove the indigenous people away.
The indigenous people called the insects ponkies (living dust and ashes), and called their village Ponkis Utenink (land of the ponkies), from which the present name Punxsutawney evolved. One legend about the origin of the term ponkies concerned an old indigenous sorcerer-hermit who was said to have long terrorized indigenous people in the region. Eventually he was killed, his body burned, and his ashes were cast to the wind. According to the story, the ashes were transformed into minute living things that infested the swamp land. Another story about the source of the term asserted that the indigenous people compared the insect bites to burns caused by sparks or hot ashes.
From the History section of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship7
Punxsy First United Methodist Church
Church · United Methodist
301 West Mahoning Street, Punxsutawney
Shopping5
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries10
Healthcare6
Penn Highlands Community Pharmacy - Punxsutawney
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.2 mi
21911 Route 119, Punxsutawney
Map of Punxsutawney
76 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°F | 17°F | 3.4 in | 12.4 in |
| Feb | 38°F | 18°F | 2.9 in | 5.1 in |
| Mar | 47°F | 24°F | 3.5 in | 5.9 in |
| Apr | 61°F | 35°F | 4.1 in | 0.3 in |
| May | 71°F | 45°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 54°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 58°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 57°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 50°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 62°F | 39°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 50°F | 30°F | 3.6 in | 1.7 in |
| Dec | 39°F | 23°F | 3.5 in | 9.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Putneyville 2 Se Dam (16 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Jefferson County has had 7 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2020-03-30: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-10-01: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2012-10-29: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
- 2005-09-10: Hurricane Katrina (Hurricane)
- 2004-09-19: Tropical Depression Ivan (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
DuBois Regional Airport (DUJ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 17 miles away.
- Sandy 15 mi northeast, about 24 min by car
- Brookville 16 mi north, about 26 min by car
- Falls Creek 16 mi northeast, about 26 min by car
- DuBois 17 mi northeast, about 27 min by car
- Oklahoma 17 mi northeast, about 28 min by car
- Clymer 19 mi south, about 31 min by car
- Northern Cambria 22 mi southeast, about 36 min by car
- Brockway 23 mi northeast, about 37 min by car
- Indiana 24 mi southwest, about 39 min by car
- Curwensville 24 mi east, about 39 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (6940934566), Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Punxsutawney PA - panoramio (27), Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0
- Punxsutawney Phil 2018 (cropped), Chris Flook, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Punxsutawney Phil 2018, Chris Flook, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Punxsutawney PA - panoramio (14), Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0
- Punxsutawney PA - panoramio (19), Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0
- Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (6940986486), Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Punxsutawney PA - panoramio (20), Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0
- Punxsutawney PA - panoramio (23), Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0
- Punxsutawney PA - panoramio (11), Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0
- Punxsutawney PA - panoramio (18), Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0
- Punxsutawney PA - panoramio (3), Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0
- Punxsutawney PA - panoramio (5), Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0
- Punxsutawney PA - panoramio (33), Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0
- Punxsutawney PA - panoramio (30), Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0
- Greetings from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, Home of the Groung-hog - Large Letter Postcard (5625825174), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- "Makin' My Way on Small-Town Fire Escapes" in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania - 20190505, Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Punxsutawney PA - panoramio (7), Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0
- Punxsutawney PA - panoramio, Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0
- Punxsutawney PA - panoramio (1), Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0
- Punxsutawney PA - panoramio (4), Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0
- Punxsutawney PA - panoramio (17), Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0
- Punxsutawney PA - panoramio (6), Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0
- Punxsutawney PA - panoramio (9), Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0
- Punxsutawney PA - panoramio (10), Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0
- Barclay Square, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania - 20190505, Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Punxsutawney PA - panoramio (32), Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0
- First English Lutheran Church (Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania) (35), Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (7087044157), Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (7087059437), Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (7087010457), Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (6940993910), Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (7087055353), Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Saints Cosmas and Damian Church (Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania), Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (6940974202), Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (6940982270), Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (7087057023), Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (6940993354), Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (6940988670), Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (7087050969), Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
_(35).jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.