April 2011 ...........

Grafton: In 1859 five families settled one mile downstream of today's Grafton. In 1862 a flood destroyed most of Grafton and the town was relocated to higher ground. In 1864 there were 168 people living in the town. Two years later it became a ghost town for the first time. Because of indian attacks Brigham Young ordered villages in southern Utah to coalesce into towns of at least 150 men. The Grafton people moved to Rockville. The farmers returned daily to tend their hometown fields and by 1886 Grafton was resettled as troubles ended. In 1886 lumber was hauled 75 miles to construct the adobe schoolhouse that still stands. In 1896 Utah became a state and Grafton thrived until 1906 when a newly built canal in Hurricane drew people and many moved from Grafton to Hurricane. In 1945 without enough children to warrant a school and lacking culinary water and electricity standard in other communities Grafton gradually became a ghost town for the second time. The site is now on the National Register of Historic Places. The Grafton Heritage Partnership Project is now maintaining the site and restoring the buildings. There is also a Grafton cemetery and the drive form St George was very pretty. It makes a very good half day trip. Instead of coming home the same way we went on the Smithsonian Butte road. Gary and Kathy Baker, RV friends from St George made the day trip with us.

April 2011 ...........

Smithsonian Butte National Back Country Byway: The byway is 9 miles long and runs between Big Plain Junction and Rockville. It has stunning desert landscape with the same landforms as Zion National Park, which is four miles away. The road is dirt, narrow and winding. It's rated a Type 1 byway which means two wheel drive vehicles should be able to make the trip but not in rain or snow. The byway is 40 miles NE of St George and close to Grafton.

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