Utah has dozens of ghost towns, but one is particularly special. Not only has part of it been restored, but it has an interesting film history, as well. Grafton is said to be the most photographed ghost town in The West, and it’s certainly picturesque. Take a look!
You’ll find the ghost town of Grafton near Zion National Park.
Vlad B./flickr Mormon settlers came to the area to try growing cotton; by 1864, 28 families lived in Grafton.
Life in Grafton during those early days was not easy.
Jeff Turner/flickr The soil was tough to farm because of its high silt content. The town was the only one located on the south side of the Virgin River, which left it isolated from other communities. Sickness, accidents and Indian attacks killed many town residents as well. The Virgin River often flooded, destroying crops and damaging property.
Little by little, residents began to abandon Grafton and move to nearby towns.
Jeff Turner/flickr By 1890, just four families remained in this little settlement.
In the mid-1990s, the Grafton Heritage Partnership was created to restore and protect Grafton. Several buildings were renovated.
Jeff Turner/flickr This is the home of Alonzo M. Russell.
The Church/School was renovated with a new roof, door and windows.
Todd Petrie/flickr
Scott Gauvin/flickr
The John Wood Home
Greater Southwestern Exploration/flickr
The Louisa Foster Russell Home
Nicholas D./flickr
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/flickr Louisa, the third wife of Alonzo Russell, came to Grafton in 1879. She raised six children in this little home.
The Grafton Cemetery is home to as many as 84 graves (not all have headstones).
Ania K./Yelp Life was tough in Grafton, and many residents died in the early years. However, in 1866, thirteen residents died. In January and February, six people died of diphtheria including three York children (ages 3, 5 and 10) and Sarah Ann Brook Field (age 37) and her two daughters (ages 5 and 7).
On February 15, 1866, Loretta A. Russell and Elizabeth H. Woodbury died in a horrible accident when the swing they were playing on broke.
James J./Yelp
The Berry Fence inside the cemetery has been restored.
Carl Berger Sr./flickr This little plot includes the graves of Robert M. Berry (age 24), his wife Isabella Hales Berry (age 20) and Robert’s brother Joseph S. Berry (age 22). All three were killed in an Indian attack on April 2, 1866.
Melissa Delzio/flickr
All that is left of this residence is a few stones laid for the foundation.
Nicholas D./flickr
In the 1920s, Grafton gained some notoriety as a place to film Westerns.
orientalizing/flickr
The first outdoor “talkie” was filmed here - In Old Arizona.
Ania K./Yelp The classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was also filmed in Grafton.
Have you visited Grafton?
Vlad B./flickr
Mormon settlers came to the area to try growing cotton; by 1864, 28 families lived in Grafton.
Jeff Turner/flickr
The soil was tough to farm because of its high silt content. The town was the only one located on the south side of the Virgin River, which left it isolated from other communities. Sickness, accidents and Indian attacks killed many town residents as well. The Virgin River often flooded, destroying crops and damaging property.
By 1890, just four families remained in this little settlement.
This is the home of Alonzo M. Russell.
Todd Petrie/flickr
Scott Gauvin/flickr
Greater Southwestern Exploration/flickr
Nicholas D./flickr
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/flickr
Louisa, the third wife of Alonzo Russell, came to Grafton in 1879. She raised six children in this little home.
Ania K./Yelp
Life was tough in Grafton, and many residents died in the early years. However, in 1866, thirteen residents died. In January and February, six people died of diphtheria including three York children (ages 3, 5 and 10) and Sarah Ann Brook Field (age 37) and her two daughters (ages 5 and 7).
James J./Yelp
Carl Berger Sr./flickr
This little plot includes the graves of Robert M. Berry (age 24), his wife Isabella Hales Berry (age 20) and Robert’s brother Joseph S. Berry (age 22). All three were killed in an Indian attack on April 2, 1866.
Melissa Delzio/flickr
orientalizing/flickr
The classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was also filmed in Grafton.
If you’re interested in Utah’s ghost towns, take a look at the road trip we created to help you see several of Southern Utah’s most interesting abandoned towns.
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