Cisco

History

Cisco, at the intersection of U.S. Highway 183 and Interstate 20 in northwestern Eastland County, traces its history back to 1878 or 1879, when Rev. C. G. Stevens arrived in the area, established a post office and a church, and called the frontier settlement "Red Gap". About six families were already living nearby, and W. T. Caldwell was running a store a half mile to the west. In 1881, the Houston and Texas Central Railway crossed the Texas and Pacific, which had come through the year before, at a point near Red Gap, and the settlement's inhabitants moved their town to the crossing. The date the rails crossed, May 17, 1881, is considered by some to be Cisco's "birthday". Three years later, the town was officially recognized and a new post office granted; the town's name was changed to "Cisco" for John J. Cisco, a New York financier largely responsible for the building of the Houston and Texas Central. Railroads continued to influence the development of Cisco as the Texas and Pacific acquired lots in the town and sold them to immigrants attracted by brochures touting the town as the "Gate City of the West". Once settlers arrived, agricultural agents employed by the railroad advised them what and when to plant and on occasion provided the seed. During the 1880s, a Mrs. Haws built and managed the first hotel, and Mrs. J. D. Alexander brought the first "millinery and fancy goods" to town. Following a practice common at the time, religious groups in Cisco met together for prayer meetings in the schoolhouse until they could build separate churches. By 1892, Cisco was a growing community with two newspapers, a bank, and an economy based on trade, ranching, fruit farming, and the limestone, coal, and iron ore available nearby. A broom factory and roller corn and flour…

Geography

Cisco is located in northwestern Eastland County. Interstate 20 passes through the south side of the city, leading west to Abilene and east to Fort Worth. Access to Cisco is from Exits 330 and 332. U.S. Route 183 passes through the center of Cisco, leading north to Breckenridge and south to Brownwood. Texas State Highway 6 also passes through the center of town, leading east to Eastland, the county seat, and northwest to Albany. Texas State Highway 206 leaves Cisco to the southwest, leading to Cross Plains. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which , or 0.07%, is covered by water.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Turkey Vulture

  Cathartes aura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  211
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  121
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  109
• Black Vulture

  Coragyps atratus (Bechstein, 1793) · Aves
  104
• Northern Mockingbird

  Mimus polyglottos (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  98
• Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

  Tyrannus forficatus (Gmelin, 1789) · Aves
  92
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  91
• Rock Pigeon

  Columba livia J.F.Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  90