Some would call Cisco, Utah a ghost
town but all the time I've lived here, I've never seen any ghosts. State Route 128 and Interstate 70 will bring you
to my nice little town here in the desert of Utah. Amtrak's
California Zephyr still passes through town, as well as Union Pacific, but
neither no longer stop. Long ago it would stop and drop off passengers with
great aspirations of making it big drilling for black gold; oil or mine for
uranium which was discovered in the nineteen fifties, but the most of it was
found not to far away in Moab. Nope, no one comes here any more except to hide
from the law or to loot the remaining buildings. The only dreamers here now are
the oilmen and myself; the oilmen live somewhere else.
My name is Arizona Blaze, kind of
funny considering I was born here in Cisco, which is in Utah. My parents were
also born here in Cisco. Grandparents migrated from North Carolina shortly
after the war of northern aggression, some would call the American Civil War. Don't
ever reckon any of my kin had ever been to Arizona before. Don't even know if
they even knew where Arizona is. For the past thirty-seven years I've been the
postmaster here in Cisco. The post office as well as the post office boxes
still stand, but remain empty. I have to go to Moab, sixty miles west to get my
own mail. I lock my doors, day and night in fear that looters will come back
thinking my home is abandoned. The electric company pulled all the cable after
the Union Pacific train switched from steam to diesel. The interstate was built
from Grand Junction, Colorado right on by passed Cisco with no services here no
big businesses even bother. Every so often I'll see Mister Oilman come and
check his pump which is right outside of my house. Mr. Cantina sold his last
bottle of soda pop then closed the general store for good and moved on like the
Garrett family, Luis family and Stephens family.
Five days ago I had the most
exciting day I've had in a very long time! Three Grand County deputies with
lights and siren going were chasing a
young fella and his gal down the decrepit road passed town. I'm not quite sure
where they thought they were going since the road they were on only went one of
two places and both places were dead ends on the mighty Colorado River. That
car chase didn't go well, as most of them never do. I heard one gun shot
followed by six. The coroner was called and arrived several hours later.
Even though the tumbleweeds roll
down Cisco's empty streets, people who come here call my town a ghost town. I
reckon it is, but as long as I live here how can it be? Many who come here ask
why don't I move to the city. My wife left years ago, as well as my children.
Not much here except memories and my dream of once again being the postmaster
of this one person town. The train don't stop here no more and there's barely
anything left to loot. Nothing here but empty buildings and car carcasses left
behind rusting and returning back to the Earth. Who am I kidding. I'm not
moving to the city. I belong here in Cisco where I'm the postmaster of a one
person town. Cisco, a ghost town? I've never heard or seen any ghosts. Cisco,
Utah population of one.
#Cisco, #Utah, #KevinSenter, #senterphotography, #GhostTowns
Nice read.
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