During the 1920s, Eastland, like nearby Cisco, Ranger, and Desdemona, was a petroleumboomtown. Eastland is known for the legend of "Old Rip", a horned toad that lived many years sealed in the cornerstone of the previous Eastland courthouse built in 1897. The recession of 1921 exacerbated racial tensions between Anglos and Mexicans. Naturally, unemployment increased in town and whites attempted to oust Mexicans whom were hired during the WWI boom. Masked men ravaged shacks used by Mexicans as living quarters. Whites threatened Mexicans' lives and fearful, they fled to nearby Fort Worth to seek help from the Mexican Consulate since local authorities took the side of the Anglo locals. In 1928, the current courthouse was erected, the prior cornerstone was opened, and "Old Rip" was found alive. The animal, a kind of lizard, received national publicity. It died in 1929 of pneumonia and was placed in a glass-front casket on view in the present courthouse.
Geography
Eastland is located north of the center of Eastland County at . It is west-southwest of Fort Worth and east of Abilene. The city is accessed by Interstate 20 between exits 340 to the south and 343 to the east. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of, all of it land.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,769 people, 1,475 households, and 998 families living in the city. The population density was 1,333.1 people per square mile. There were 1,737 housing units at an average density of 614.4 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 91.64% White, 1.80% African American, 0.53% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.67% from other races, and 1.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.89% of the population. There were 1,475 households, out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% were married couplesliving together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.04. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.7% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $28,277, and the median income for a family was $34,333. Males had a median income of $27,072 versus $16,574 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,339. About 14.2% of families and 17.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.0% of those under age 18 and 12.7% of those age 65 or over.
