Cisco, Utah
Encyclopedia
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
.
. 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. Unfortunately for history and railroad buffs, the ghost town's easy access and proximity to the freeway have lured vandals; the relics are heavily damaged and the town is littered with abandoned vehicles.
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. Newly drilled wells can be seen next to the railroad track and around the freeway.
, although the highway does not enter Cisco. 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.
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
in Grand County
Grand County, Utah
Grand County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000 the population was 8,485, and by 2005 had been estimated at 8,743. It was named for the Colorado River, which at the time of statehood was known as the Grand River. Its county seat and largest city is Moab.-Geography:According...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
near the junction of State Route 128
Utah State Route 128
State Route 128 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Utah. The entire length of the highway has been designated the Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway, as part of the Utah Scenic Byways program. This road also forms part of the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway, a National Scenic Byway...
and Interstate 70. At one time the town served as a saloon and water-refilling station for the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad , often shortened to Rio Grande or D&RGW, formerly the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, is a defunct U.S. railroad company. The railroad started as a narrow gauge line running south from Denver, Colorado in 1870; however, served mainly as a transcontinental...
.
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
. 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
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
, 84515. Unfortunately for history and railroad buffs, the ghost town's easy access and proximity to the freeway have lured vandals; the relics are heavily damaged and the town is littered with abandoned vehicles.
Mining
Oil and natural gasNatural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
were discovered near Cisco in 1924. In 2005, new oil and gas wells were drilled in the nearby Cisco Oil Field
Cisco Oil Field
Cisco Oil Field is an oil field located in Grand County, Utah. The field was discovered in 1924 in the now abandoned town of Cisco, Utah. It is one of the oldest oil fields in the state of Utah....
by a Reno, Nevada based company. 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 128Utah State Route 128
State Route 128 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Utah. The entire length of the highway has been designated the Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway, as part of the Utah Scenic Byways program. This road also forms part of the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway, a National Scenic Byway...
, although the highway does not enter Cisco. Cisco is still served by the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
where a rail siding
Rail siding
A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line or branch line or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end...
remains in use. The California Zephyr
California Zephyr
The California Zephyr is a long passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the midwestern and western United States.It runs from Chicago, Illinois, in the east to Emeryville, California, in the west, passing through the states of Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California...
passenger train passes through Cisco, but is not a scheduled stop. During the summer months, whitewater river rafters
Rafting
Rafting or white water rafting is a challenging recreational outdoor activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on white water or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this...
use Cisco as a landing site, particularly for a trip through Westwater Canyon
Westwater Canyon
Westwater Canyon is a canyon located on the Colorado River in Eastern Utah between the Utah/Colorado state line and Cisco, Utah. The inner gorge of the canyon is made up of black Precambrian rock and contains class III and IV rapids which are sought after by whitewater enthusiasts...
.
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 CashJohnny CashJohn R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
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 LouiseThelma and LouiseThelma & Louise is a 1991 film co-produced and directed by Ridley Scott and written by Callie Khouri, the film's plot revolves around Thelma and Louise's escape from their troubled and caged lives. It stars Geena Davis as Thelma and Susan Sarandon as Louise, and co-stars Harvey Keitel as a...
(1991), and Don't Come KnockingDon't Come KnockingDon't Come Knocking is a 2005 film, a comedy-drama road movie directed by German director Wim Wenders and written by Wenders and actor/playwright Sam Shepard. The two had previously collaborated on the film Paris, Texas...
(2005).