Grafton

The next day we took it easy and decided to do a little bit of sight-seeing before heading back into Zion. Located just a few miles from the National Park is the old ghost town of Grafton, which was reached via a muddy dirt road. Grafton was established by Mormon settlers in 1859 along the Virgin River. The site was chosen because there weren't many places in Utah that were flat and had access to water. But floodwaters destroyed the town, and it was rebuilt about a mile away on a different part of the river in 1862.

Grafton thrived at its new location, and the population grew to 168 people by 1864. The townspeople dug irrigation canals and planted orchards (which still exist today), and for a time Grafton was even a county seat. But flooding was always a problem, along with the lack of new land to cultivate. Eventually, families were leaving to find better land in nearby communities. By 1890, there were only four families left in Grafton. By 1921, the local branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints closed. And in 1948, the last residents left the town and it was abandoned.

Several buildings still remain in Grafton, and they have been well-preserved thanks to the efforts of the Grafton Heritage Partnership Project. One of the most prominent buildings in the town is the old Russell Home, which was built in 1862. The adobe home was built by Alonzo Haventon Russell, who lived there with his three wives and their 16 children. Alonzo lived here until his death in 1910 at the age of 89. His son Frank Stephen Russell bought the house in 1917 for the sum of $200 and one cow. He and his wife lived in the house until 1944, and were some of the last residents of Grafton.



Next to the Russell House is the old schoolhouse/church, which was built around 1886. The building rests on a foundation of lava rocks and was built with hand-made adobe bricks. Lumber for the building was harvested 75 miles away and carried all the way back to Grafton. It was used as a church, school and community meeting place. The last classes were held here in 1919.



Grafton has been used a filming location for several Westerns. The old Russell home and the church can be seen in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid:



Nearby was this old home, built in 1879. In this small and modest home, six children were raised. I can't even imagine what that must have been like in those olden days.





This old pioneer cabin isn't original to Grafton, it was actually moved here in 1947 to be used for the movie Ramrod.



This old home was built in 1877, and is still surrounded by the original split-rail fence.





And one last shot from Grafton, of the old cemetery. The first grave here dates back to 1862: