Ol' Rip the Horned Toad
Encyclopedia
Ol' Rip was a horned lizard
(commonly referred to as a "horned toad") whose supposed 31-year hibernation as an entombed animal
is believed by some and doubted by others. His name is a reference to the fictional character Rip Van Winkle
. In 1897, a horned lizard was placed in a cornerstone
of the Eastland County
Courthouse in Eastland, Texas
along with other time capsule memorabilia. When the courthouse was torn down 31 years later, the cornerstone was opened on February 18, 1928, a live horned lizard was produced, allegedly from within the time capsule. The lizard became a celebrity, and went on tour, even being taken to Washington, D.C.
to meet President
Calvin Coolidge
.
Ol' Rip died 11 months later, and his remains can be seen on display in the new Eastland County Courthouse. In 1973 the body was stolen and an anonymous letter explained that the finding of Ol' Rip alive had been a hoax and demanded other unnamed co-conspirators should come forth. When no one did, another letter was received stating that the coffin and body could be found in the county fairgrounds. The coffin was found there and returned to the courthouse, though some suspected the body in the coffin was a substitute for the real lizard who now resides in a secret private collection somewhere.
Horned lizard
Horned lizards are a genus of lizards which are the type genus of the family Phrynosomatidae. The horned lizard is popularly called a "horned toad", "horny toad", or "horned frog", but it is neither a toad nor a frog. The popular names come from the lizard's rounded body and blunt snout, which...
(commonly referred to as a "horned toad") whose supposed 31-year hibernation as an entombed animal
Entombed animal
Entombed animals are animals reportedly found alive after being encased in solid rock for an indeterminate amount of time. The accounts usually involve frogs or toads...
is believed by some and doubted by others. His name is a reference to the fictional character Rip Van Winkle
Rip Van Winkle
"Rip Van Winkle" is a short story by the American author Washington Irving published in 1819, as well as the name of the story's fictional protagonist. Written while Irving was living in Birmingham, England, it was part of a collection entitled The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon...
. In 1897, a horned lizard was placed in a cornerstone
Cornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
of the Eastland County
Eastland County, Texas
*Carbon*Cisco*Desdemona, a ghost town*Eastland*Gorman*Mangum*Olden*Ranger*Rising Star*Romney-See also:*National Register of Historic Places listings in Eastland County, Texas*Santa Claus Bank Robbery-External links:** at the University of Texas*...
Courthouse in Eastland, Texas
Eastland, Texas
Eastland is a city in Eastland County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,769 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Eastland County.During the 1920s, Eastland, like nearby Cisco, Ranger, and Desdemona, were petroleum boomtowns....
along with other time capsule memorabilia. When the courthouse was torn down 31 years later, the cornerstone was opened on February 18, 1928, a live horned lizard was produced, allegedly from within the time capsule. The lizard became a celebrity, and went on tour, even being taken to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to meet President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
.
Ol' Rip died 11 months later, and his remains can be seen on display in the new Eastland County Courthouse. In 1973 the body was stolen and an anonymous letter explained that the finding of Ol' Rip alive had been a hoax and demanded other unnamed co-conspirators should come forth. When no one did, another letter was received stating that the coffin and body could be found in the county fairgrounds. The coffin was found there and returned to the courthouse, though some suspected the body in the coffin was a substitute for the real lizard who now resides in a secret private collection somewhere.