HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-1 WHEREAS, For its unique characteristics and noteworthy status
1-2 as a threatened species, the Texas horned lizard was officially
1-3 designated the State Reptile with the passage of House Concurrent
1-4 Resolution 141 by the 73rd Texas Legislature; and
1-5 WHEREAS, The Texas horned lizard, Phrynosoma cornutum, is
1-6 variously known as a horned toad, horny toad, and horned frog, and
1-7 while these creatures stand out as a species for their
1-8 distinctive-looking features, one horned toad in particular has
1-9 captured the hearts of many Texans, that being Eastland's Old Rip;
1-10 and
1-11 WHEREAS, Old Rip was placed inside a cornerstone during the
1-12 1897 dedication of the Eastland County courthouse, and there he
1-13 slept peacefully until February 18, 1928, when the courthouse was
1-14 demolished to make way for new construction; and
1-15 WHEREAS, On hand to witness Old Rip's serendipitous return to
1-16 light after 31 years of darkness were 3,000 Eastland residents, in
1-17 ceremonies presided over by a pastor, a judge, and an oilman; the
1-18 crowd cheered as Old Rip was held aloft, his earnest wiggling
1-19 viable proof of the little lizard's stamina and determination; and
1-20 WHEREAS, Old Rip's story made him a celebrity; he was
1-21 exhibited in various parts of the country and even made a visit to
1-22 be viewed by President Calvin Coolidge in Washington, D.C.; sadly,
1-23 the Eastland hero died of pneumonia on January 19, 1929, though his
1-24 body was embalmed and can still be seen today in a plush lined
2-1 casket in the lobby of the Eastland County courthouse; and
2-2 WHEREAS, To honor the enduring spirit of Old Rip and to
2-3 perpetuate the telling of his story to future generations, Eastland
2-4 County residents have commissioned a large iron statue of a horned
2-5 toad for permanent display in the county seat; and
2-6 WHEREAS, Distinguished as a fitting symbol of Texas, the
2-7 horned toad has rightfully earned a place in Lone Star lore, and
2-8 the many fine citizens of Eastland have indeed proven their
2-9 commitment to increasing the public's awareness of and interest in
2-10 this singular Texas icon; now, therefore, be it
2-11 RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas
2-12 hereby designate Eastland as the official home of "Old Rip--The
2-13 Most Famous Horned Toad in Texas" and warmly welcome to Austin the
2-14 delegation of Eastland citizens visiting on this auspicious
2-15 occasion.
Keffer
Laney Goodman Merritt
Alexander Goolsby Miller
Allen Gray Moreno of Harris
Averitt Green Moreno of El Paso
Bailey Grusendorf Morrison
Berman Gutierrez Mowery
Bonnen Haggerty Naishtat
Bosse Hamric Najera
Brimer Hardcastle Nixon
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Noriega
Brown of Brazos Hawley Oliveira
Burnam Heflin Olivo
Callegari Hilbert Pickett
Capelo Hilderbran Pitts
Carter Hill Puente
Chavez Hinojosa Ramsay
Chisum Hochberg Rangel
Christian Hodge Raymond
Clark Homer Reyna of Bexar
Coleman Hope Reyna of Dallas
Cook Hopson Ritter
Corte Howard Sadler
Counts Hunter Salinas
Crabb Hupp Seaman
Craddick Isett Shields
Crownover Janek Smith
Danburg Jones of Lubbock Smithee
Davis of Harris Jones of Bexar Solis
Davis of Dallas Jones of Dallas Solomons
Delisi Junell Swinford
Denny Keel Talton
Deshotel Keffer Telford
Driver King of Parker Thompson
Dukes King of Uvalde Tillery
Dunnam Kitchen Truitt
Dutton Kolkhorst Turner of Coleman
Edwards Krusee Turner of Harris
Ehrhardt Kuempel Uher
Eiland Lewis of Tarrant Uresti
Elkins Lewis of Orange Villarreal
Ellis Longoria Walker
Farabee Luna West
Farrar McCall Williams
Flores McClendon Wilson
Gallego McReynolds Wise
Garcia Madden Wohlgemuth
George Marchant Wolens
Geren Martinez Fischer Woolley
Giddings Maxey Yarbrough
Glaze Menendez Zbranek
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 31 was adopted by the House on
January 24, 2001, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 31 was adopted by the Senate on
January 24, 2001, by a viva-voce vote.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor