Day 5 (Wednesday, June 20th). Today we used Springdale as a springboard for all-day side-trip to the ghost town of Grafton, Pipe Spring National Monument, the north rim of the Grand Canyon and Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. This would prove to be a busy but richly rewarding day. 
To get to Grafton we had to backtrack to the town of Rockville (about a 5 minute drive west from Sprindale) and take a dirt road (see picture at left) that led through wilderness out to the town. The dirt road to Grafton was itself very scenic (although a little dusty).
To get to Grafton we had to backtrack to the town of Rockville (about a 5 minute drive west from Sprindale) and take a dirt road (see picture at left) that led through wilderness out to the town. The dirt road to Grafton was itself very scenic (although a little dusty).The ghost town of Grafton (1863-1924) and Grafton cemetary (see pictures below) are located a few minutes drive west of Spri
ndale near the town of Rockville. Grafton was one of several settlements along the Virgin River colonized in the 1850s. In 1861, Mormon Church President Brigham Young called hundreds of families to relocate to southwestern Utah to help establish a Cotton Mission. The principle objective was to produce enough cotton to supply church members' needs and thereby end reliance upon eastern markets for that product. In the southern region's cruel environment, however, the Cotton Mission never really flourished. The early settlers of Grafton quickly learned that the Virgin River was generally untamable. Although they needed water for crops the farmlands around Grafton lay in very narrow strips along either side of the Virgin River and its tributaries and were highly susceptible to erosion from flooding. The Virgin River and its tributaries all ran high floods that obliterated the first colonizing attempt at Grafton. In addition to the unpredictable river, resi
dents also experienced difficulties with Indians during the Black Hawk War (1865-68). An example of the "difficulties" was evidenced by several gravestones which noted the cause of death.....killed by indians (see Isabelle Hales gravemarker at bottom of post)! More recently Grafton was also hit hard by flooding in 1909. By 1920 Grafton's population had dwindled to three families, and by 1930 the river had completely won--it became a ghost town. The last resident moved away in 1935. Other headstones, with telling inscriptions, give some insight into the harsh life at that time, such as the three Berry brothers (and one wife), all killed by Indians on April 2nd 1866, or the five children of John and Charlotte Ballard, all of whom died young between 1865 and 1877, none living for more than 9 years. Although the ghosts of Grafton may have their own memories Grafton is largely remembered as the town where the famous "Rain Drops Falling On My Head" scene from "Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid" western was filmed.
ndale near the town of Rockville. Grafton was one of several settlements along the Virgin River colonized in the 1850s. In 1861, Mormon Church President Brigham Young called hundreds of families to relocate to southwestern Utah to help establish a Cotton Mission. The principle objective was to produce enough cotton to supply church members' needs and thereby end reliance upon eastern markets for that product. In the southern region's cruel environment, however, the Cotton Mission never really flourished. The early settlers of Grafton quickly learned that the Virgin River was generally untamable. Although they needed water for crops the farmlands around Grafton lay in very narrow strips along either side of the Virgin River and its tributaries and were highly susceptible to erosion from flooding. The Virgin River and its tributaries all ran high floods that obliterated the first colonizing attempt at Grafton. In addition to the unpredictable river, resi
dents also experienced difficulties with Indians during the Black Hawk War (1865-68). An example of the "difficulties" was evidenced by several gravestones which noted the cause of death.....killed by indians (see Isabelle Hales gravemarker at bottom of post)! More recently Grafton was also hit hard by flooding in 1909. By 1920 Grafton's population had dwindled to three families, and by 1930 the river had completely won--it became a ghost town. The last resident moved away in 1935. Other headstones, with telling inscriptions, give some insight into the harsh life at that time, such as the three Berry brothers (and one wife), all killed by Indians on April 2nd 1866, or the five children of John and Charlotte Ballard, all of whom died young between 1865 and 1877, none living for more than 9 years. Although the ghosts of Grafton may have their own memories Grafton is largely remembered as the town where the famous "Rain Drops Falling On My Head" scene from "Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid" western was filmed.
No comments:
Post a Comment