Old Rip of Eastland lived a long and eventful life by the standard of most horned lizards.
Named for Mr. Van Winkle, Old Rip was placed in the Eastland County Courthouse’s cornerstone in 1897. When the building was demolished in 1928 to make way for the current courthouse, the Texas horny toad came out of hibernation after 31 years to become an instant celebrity.
Old Rip went on a national tour that included a visit with President Calvin Coolidge in the White House. The excitement was too much for the critter the size of your palm. He died of pneumonia 11 months after his extraction from the building.
As the town and county’s official mascot, Old Rip was given a red-velvet-lined coffin in the lobby of the new courthouse for a final resting place. In 1962, when gubernatorial candidate John Connally visited Eastland, he couldn’t resist picking up the mummified corpse – only to have its leg fall off. In the 1970s, Old Rip was kidnapped but quickly recovered.
It is now illegal to disturb or possess the state reptile of Texas. A long list of factors has contributed to the decline of horned lizards. Old Rip may be your best chance to see a real horny toad. His glass-cover box is in a window on the east side of the Eastland County Courthouse.
1,068th in a series. Collect them all. Day Trips, Vol. 2, a book of “Day Trips,” is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 33284, South Austin, TX 78704.
This article appears in December 30 • 2011.
