City of Eastland

Eastland

In 1875, when two pioneer Texans, Jacamiah S. Daughterty and Charles U. Connellee, purchased land and platted the townsite of Eastland. With the railroad extending westward, early town promoters offered the Texas and Pacific Railway one‐fourth of the town lots in exchange for building the railroad through Eastland. The railroad accepted the offer, and the first engine puffed through town in 1880. Local improvement projects such as the brick pavers on the Bankhead Highway through town reflect the prosperity offered by oil production in the region. The 1928 Connellee Hotel provides a glimpse into the extravagant getaway experiences travelers could find in the West Texas oil boom towns. Auto‐tourists looking for a more subtle overnight experience stayed at the Eastland City and Tourist Park, one of the few surviving examples of a once popular lodging type. While you’re in town, stroll over to the courthouse for a glimpse of Old Rip, Eastland’s legendary horned lizard, who lived for nearly 30 years entombed in the cornerstone of the old courthouse.