Eastland county Courthouse

7-story brick and cast concrete structure with Art Deco friezes and panels. Top floor incorporated into elaborate and symbolic Art Deco "cornice."

Constructed 1928

Architect: Lang and witchell

Style: Art Deco

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Eastland County

Formed from Young and Bexar Territories; Created February 1, 1858; Organized December 2, 1873; Named in honor of Captain William Mosby Eastland 1806-1843; Hero of San Jacinto; Member of the Mier Expedition who drew the first black bean at Salado, Mexico and was executed, on March 25, 1843; Eastland, the county seat.

Eastland

County seat, Eastland County. Named for William M. Eastland--Texas War for Independence hero who was in Mier Expedition against Mexico, and was executed in "Black Bean" lottery at Rancho Salado in 1842. Most noted early local people were Comanches, who resisted occupation of area by white settlers. The last recorded Indian raid in county was in 1874. Eastland was named county seat in an election on Aug. 2, 1875. With 250 people it was incorporated on June 6, 1891, and W.Q. Connellee was elected as mayor. After a discovery in 1917, one of the fabled oil booms of Texas occurred nearby, with Eastland center for legal matters. With oil priced $2.60 a barrel, many wells flowed at 10,000 barrels a day. The city quickly grew to 25,000 people; 5 banks prospered. Coming here to seek "black gold" were celebrities, including evangelist Billy Sunday, circus owner John Ringling, sports figures Jess Willard, Tex Rickard. An international wonder-story happened here: the old courthouse cornerstone was opened (on this site) in 1928 to reveal survival of "Old Rip", a horned toad placed there with other mementoes on July 19, 1897. Continuing oil production, agricultural processing and clay products bolster the present economy. (1968)

Camp Salmon, C.S.A.

Guarding the frontier during the Civil War, this camp was located 17 mi. west, 6 mi. north. Established as part of a chain of posts a day's horseback ride apart stretching from Red River to Rio Grande. Occupied by Texas Frontier Regiment. Named for Capt. John Salmon, frontier Indian fighter and post commander. Later renamed Camp McCord. Short of food, supplies, ammunition, horses, troubled with Indians, and sharing few of the glories of the war at the cost of many lives, these men served to protect the Texas frontier.

Texas Civil War

Frontier Defense

1861-1865

Texas made an all-out effort for the Confederacy after voting over 3 to 1 for secession. 90,000 troops, noted for mobility and heroic daring, fought on every battlefront. An important source of supply and gateway to foreign trade thru Mexico, Texas was the storehouse of the South. Camp Salmon and other posts on this line were backed by patrols of State Rangers, organized militia, and citizens' posses scouting from nearby "family forts." This was part of a 2000 mile frontier and coastline successfully defended by Texans.

Eastland County Courthouse ca. 1950

Eastland County Courthouse ca. 1886

Eastland County Courthouse ca. 1920

“Old Rip”

 In 1897 when the cornerstone of the new courthouse was dedicated, Earnest Wood, Justice of the Peace, who was a member of the Band, noticed his son, Will Wood, playing with a horned toad.  The idea came to him to place the toad in the cornerstone.  They named him ‘Old Rip’ and he lived peacefully in this cornerstone until February 28, 1928, when the courthouse was demolished to make way for a new one.  Three thousands persons were on hand to watch the opining of the cornerstone to see how ‘Old rip’ had fared.  Judge Ed S. Pritchard removed the bible and other objects, and at the bottom was the toad.  Eugene Day, an oilman, thrust his hand into the cavity and lifted up the flat dust-covered toad.  He handed it to Frank S. Singleton, pastor of the First Methodist Church, who passed the critter on to Judge Pritchard.  Judge Pritchard held him up by his tail for all to see.  Suddenly ‘Old rip’ awoke from his 31 year slumber.  “Old Rip” was exhibited in various parts of the United States, including a visit to President Coolidge in Washington.  “Old rip” died of pneumonia on Saturday, January 19, 1929.  His body was embalmed and can be seen today in its plush lined casket, as it is displayed in the lobby of Eastland County’s beautiful Courthouse.

Clickable

Map

Clickable

Map