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Ol' Rip the Horned Toad... Eastland, Texas...



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February 20, 1928

THE NEW YORK TIMES, February 20, 1928

* Ol' Rip the Horned Toad still alive - lizard
* Eastland, Texas Courthouse - entombed animal


The top of the front page has a small one column heading within inset: "Toad Alive After 31 Years Sealed in Texas Cornerstone" (see) First report coverage on the famous toad being discovered still alive in the cornerstone of the courthouse in Eastland, Texas after 31 years entombed there.
Other news, sports and advertisements of the day. Complete in 44 pages, this is the rare rag edition that was produced on very high quality newsprint, with a high percentage of cotton & linen content, allowing the issues to remain very white & sturdy into the present. Given the subscription cost, libraries & institutions rather than individuals were the primary subscribers of these high-quality editions. Nice condition.
wikipedia notes: Ol' Rip (died January 19, 1929) 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.

Category: The 20th Century