Buildings in Cisco

Oil wells in Cisco

Cisco oil field

Cisco Yellow House with 1932 rig

Cisco is a ghost town in Grand County, Utah near the junction of State Route 128 and Interstate 70. At one time the town served as a saloon and water-refilling station for the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad.^[1] The town's demise came with the demise of the steam locomotive. The town site contains many relics of a typical old west railroad town. Cisco survived long enough into the 20th century to be assigned a ZIP Code, 84515.^[2] Unfortunately for history and railroad buffs, the ghost town's easy access and faint visibility from the freeway have lured vandals; the relics are heavily damaged.

Mining

Oil and natural gas were discovered near Cisco in 1924. In 2005, new oil and gas wells were drilled in the nearby Cisco Oil Field by a Reno, Nevada based company.^[3] Newly drilled wells can be seen next to the railroad track and around the freeway.

Transportation

Cisco was formerly along the route of US-6/US-50. The town was bypassed with the completion of Interstate 70 through the area. Cisco is listed as a control city for State Route 128, although the highway does not enter Cisco.^[4] Cisco is still served by the Union Pacific Railroad where a rail siding remains in use. The California Zephyr passenger train passes through Cisco, but is not a scheduled stop. During the summer months, whitewater river rafters use Cisco as a landing site, particularly for a trip through Westwater Canyon.

A fiber switch has been installed at Cisco by Emery Telecom. DSL is now available at Cisco, provided by Emery Telecom.

Media and pop culture

• Johnny Cash wrote the song "Cisco Clifton's Fillin Station" about H. Ballard Harris, a man living in Cisco.
• Cisco was a filming location for the movies Vanishing Point (1971), Thelma and Louise (1991), and Don't Come Knocking (2005).

References

External links

• Ghosttowns.com Cisco Utah
• Cisco Photo tour

fr:Cisco (Utah)