Cisco, Minnesota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cisco
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 Cisco, Minnesota
Location in Minnesota
Cisco, Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Polk |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 218 |
Cisco was once a small, unnamed community in Polk County, Minnesota, in the United States. It was located along the Soo Line Railroad and US 59. You can find its old location about four miles north of Erskine and four miles south of Brooks. Today, Cisco is mostly just a memory, known only by some older residents.
The Story of Cisco
A Railroad Stop
Cisco started as an important stop on the Soo Line Railroad in the late 1800s. Trains needed to stop here to get water for their steam engines. It also had a special track called a rail siding, where trains could pull over. This was a busy time for Cisco, lasting until the late 1940s.
What Was There?
Back then, Cisco had several important buildings. There was a grain elevator, which is a tall building used to store grain from local farms. It also had a stockyard for animals, a general store where people could buy almost anything, and a school. The school was known as District 146 or the Cisco School. There were also homes for people who lived and worked there.
Why Cisco Changed
After the 1940s, steam trains were no longer used. This meant trains didn't need to stop in Cisco for water anymore. Because of this, the railroad stopped using Cisco as a regular stop.
By 1938, many of the buildings were gone. The grain elevator and stockyards were taken down. The school was closed and its building was moved to Marcoux Corner. The general store also closed its doors for good.
Cisco Today
By 1983, Cisco had shrunk to just a couple of houses. These houses are still standing today in 2019. One of them was actually the old Cisco general store. It is said that the grandchildren of the store's original owners still live in the area, and the stepmother of those grandchildren lives in that very house.
