Ghost Town: Cisco, Utah
This site contains a collection of memorabilia, relevant & irrelevant information about the town of Cisco, Utah. Cisco is located approximately 6 miles south of I-70 in eastern Utah on Old Route 6, in the vicinity of Arches & Canyonlands National Parks.
About Me
- Name: Cisco Utah
- Location: Galloway, Ohio, United States
Born in Chicago, 1959. Moved to Columbus, Ohio 1973. Married in 1979. Favorite Pizza! Home Run Inn -Chicago. There is none better.
Friday, June 10, 2005
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Story From a Relative of a Former Resident
No luck in using This restroom that day~Cisco 1999~
Cisco Utah is located off of Interstate 70 on the old Highway 6 and 50, about 30 miles from the Colorado/Utah Border.
Cisco started as a watering stop for the railroad's steam engines in the 1880s. As work crews,and later travelers, came through, stores,hotels and restaurants sprang up to accomodate them.
My Father drove Truck and my Mother worked in one of the restaurants part time. They lived here in 1933.
Pictured Left, Old Restaurant and Gas Station
Pictured Right, Old School House~Cisco 1999
Nearby cattle ranchers, and sheep herders in thr Bookcliffs north of town began using Cisco as a livestock and provisioning center. Around the turn of the century,over 100,000 sheep were sheared here before being shipped to market. Then oil and natural gas were discovered. For awhile Cisco was the largest producer in Utah. People began traveling more and Cisco continued to grow. Then the bottom fell out. A declining economy crashed when I-70 came through and by-passed Cisco altogether. There are still a hand full of residents, but with no electricty or fresh water, it's hard to imagine! Some say at night, you can hear sounds that shouldn't be.We were not there during the night, but plan to return to do some fishing at the boat ramp~that still exsists!
Not the Hilton~Cisco 1999
A photo of my parents Home~Cisco 1999
FOOTNOTE* The remaining Residents aren't all that keen about "lookie-loo's". So ask if you want to look around.
Overlook of the Town Today~Cisco 1999
Railroading In Cisco
Cisco Train Depot - 1954
Cisco, mile post 504.4, started out as a water stop on the RGW narrow gauge north of the present location. When the standard gauge line through Ruby Canyon opened, Cisco moved to the present location. As work crews, and later travelers, came through, stores, hotels and restaurants sprang up to accomodate them.
Later with the discovery of oil and gas, Cisco became a mini boom town. For a while Cisco was the largest producer in the state. When the interstate bypassed Cisco and the oil bust came, Cisco died.
The only thing going on today is the siding where containers of mill tailings are offloaded onto trucks for transport to the White Mesa Mill.
Butch Cassidy Slept Here - Dreamride LLC of Moab, Utah
Moab wears a bandana over its nose. Butch Cassidy used to hide out in town, living comfortably with families he supported by having the fastest horses in the west. His partner, the man who made Butch famous through his courage and daring, Harvey Logan, alias Kid Curry, avenged the death of his mentor, Flat Nose George Curry, just thirty miles north of town. Bill McCarty's Blue Mountain Gang were the first outlaws in Utah territories, hiding out just thirty miles south. Cyd Swasey escaped a posse just west of here by jumping over 20 feet across a five hundred foot drop into a slot canyon. Moab was a rough town. As the "law" moved in, the riff raff and gun fighters were run out, usually ending up in nearby Cisco. Now a ghost town, Cisco was the roughest, sleaziest, most dangerous place in the west for quite some time. We can actually put you in a hotel, a brothel removed from its foundation to float down the river from Cisco. It now sits within short walking distance of our shop. We can take you to old log hideouts, legendary lookouts and Jail Rock. We love this stuff. We also specialize in Indian history, but that usually takes place on our Navajo Reservation rides. Elite clients can check out books on Cowboys and Indians from our library. We also have a collection of DVDs to enjoy.
Toll free booking at 1 (888) MOAB UTAH.
From outside of the United States, call 435-259-6419.
Dreamride LLC
P.O. Box 1137
Moab, UT 84532
For email contact information click on:
CURRENT DREAMRIDE EMAIL ADDRESS: dreamride@frontiernet.net
The Streets of Cisco, Utah
Beautiful View of the LaSalle Mountain Range from Cisco
Route 6
Cisco, Utah Skyline
Sod Roof House
March 2005
Picture Below March 2005 - Above Date Unknown
March 2005
Still An Inhabited Dwelling - Supposedly, the Lady In This House Was Seen On the Roof of The Cisco Hotel In Vanishing Point
Oil & Gas In Cisco
March 2005