[5] 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".

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.

On April 28, 1893, an F4 tornado struck the center of the business district of Cisco, killing 28 people and destroying or severely damaging every building in town.

[9] Although Cisco played a relatively minor role in the Eastland County oil boom of 1919–21, its population grew rapidly at the time, with some estimates as high as 15,000; in the wake of the boom, Cisco adopted a city charter and built a new railroad station that cost $25,000, a value of $310,597.88 in 2015.

As of August 2009, the bank site is occupied by an auto parts store, with a Texas Historical Commission sign commemorating the event.

[11] On May 9, 2015, an area just south of the city was hit by a large tornado, destroying several homes, killing one person, and critically injuring one more.

Texas State Highway 206 leaves Cisco to the southwest, leading 22 miles (35 km) to Cross Plains.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.9 square miles (12.8 km2), of which 2.216 acres (8,966 m2), or 0.07%, is covered by water.

The mascot for Cisco High School is the Loboes, proudly misspelled for decades, and their colors are black and gold.