When some travelers fall in love with a particular destination, they buy a timeshare. When visual artist Eileen Muza fell in love with Cisco, Utah, she purchased the entire town.
Muza first discovered Cisco when she was taking a trip to Canyonlands National Park. Muza, who was 29 at the time, learned about the town (which was built in the 1880s and served as a railroad service station) from her seatmate on her flight from Chicago to Utah. Intrigued, Muza decided to check it out.
In an interview with Insider magazine, Muza explained that when she first arrived, she was scared and unsure of whether or not the town was truly abandoned. She eventually overcame her trepidation, though, and became fascinated by the town and its unique history.
After returning home, Muza found that she couldn’t stop thinking about Cisco. She told Insider that she “just kept thinking… and wondering about it.”
When she couldn’t shake her obsession, Muza decided to make a major life change. She got in touch with the owner of Cisco and agreed to purchase the ghost town for a price that, according to her, is similar to that of a used car.
Muza lives in Cisco today with her dog, Rima, and is slowly working to turn the abandoned Utah ghost town into an artist’s haven. Currently, there is Wi-Fi and electricity, but no running water. She collects rainwater and uses a solar shower.
Muza has expressed some frustration about visitors who come to the town, not knowing that it’s privately owned, and engage in the “ghost town narrative.” Some people have even broken windows or broken into buildings that she’s taken the time to repair.
She added, though, that she doesn’t mind when people pass through and are respectful of her property.
For those who want to see the town without planning a trip to Utah, the video below offers an awesome walk-through.