I haven't blogged at all about our big vacation that we took this summer. Kaitlyn plays on a club volleyball team that qualified to go to the National Volleyball Festival this past July which was held in Phoenix, AZ. We decided as a family to drive down to Phoenix from the Tri Cities so that we could see a part of the country that none of had ever seen before. Boy, were we in for a treat!
It was a long drive and the kids did a fantastic job of getting along and not whining about when we were going to finally get there. We decided to plan some stops along the way to see some of the sites we had read about. The first stop I wanted to write about is a ghost town called Grafton, which is located in southern Utah just south of the Zion National Park boundary. It was an amazing place to visit. The town itself is nestled in a valley surrounded by the breath taking beauty of the mountains, mesas and canyons of Zion.
As you drive the scenic nine mile drive from the town of Rockville out to the town of Grafton you cross over a single track iron bridge that takes you over the Virgin River. You follow the pavement to a dirt road which winds and climbs its way into the hills. You know that you are getting close to the town when you arrive at Grafton Cemetery. This lonely cemetery has a few dozen graves with burials ranging from the period of 1860-1910. When we walked through the cemetery it made you realize how harsh life could be for these folks. Some inscriptions were for young children all under the age of 9; some from the same family. Others were victims of Indian attacks. This cemetery has been preserved with loving care and respect.
From the cemetery you drive down a dusty road to enter the town. Grafton was established in 1859 along the Virgin River as a settlement to grow cotton. By 1864 there were 28 families that called Grafton home. There were several log houses, a post office, church and a school/community center. While they were successful with growing cotton the nearby river proved to be unpredictable and would severely flood the area. In addition to flooding the residents had problems with attacks from the local Indian tribes which forced the town to be evacuated in 1866 during the Black Hawk War. The residents returned to the area permanently in 1868.
In 1886, the residents built a school house/church. This was also used as a community center and it still stands today. It has been wonderfully preserved for future generations to see. The last class was taught here during the 1918-19 school year.
Another wonderfully preserved building that stands near the school house is the Alonzo Russell home. It was built in 1861. Members of the Russell family continued to live in the home until 1944. They were the last residents to pick up stakes and leave the town of Grafton.
It was amazing to walk back in time and visit this town and imagine what it must have been like for these pioneers to live here. There are a couple more houses that are still standing along with a barn and granary that are surrounded by a split rail fence. I think it was great for our family to visit this ghost town. It put into perspective for us how hard those who have come before us worked to build the West and make a life for themselves and their families.
