![grafton ghost town grafton ghost town](https://www.ghosttowngallery.com/ghostsut/grafton1.jpg)
Location: Along Hwy 18 about 5 miles south of the community of Enterprise, north of St George.ĭuring the so-called "Utah War," tensions were high between Mormon pioneers and people traveling through the territory. The Square features small shops, boutiques and galleries, within easy walking distance other downtown attractions and many motels. In the heart of downtown St George, historic shops and buildings have been restored in a quaint area called Ancestor Square. His home, completed in 1863, is two-story adobe, sandstone and ponderosa pine structure and is one of the few remaining examples of early pioneer-era home-building. Jacob Hamblin was a prominent Mormon pioneer who became known as a friend to the Native American Indians living in the area. Location: Corner of Santa Clara Blvd and Hamblin Drive, Santa Clara The front addition-what most would call the main part of the house-was completed in 1873. The original portion of his home was begun in 1869 and completed in 1871. Location: 200 North and 100 West, St Georgeīrigham Young, the Mormon leader, established a winter home in St George, where he enjoyed the area's mild, snow-free winters. Today, the tabernacle is home to church services, daily music recitals, and the weekly Dixie History and Music Series. Location: 18 South Main Street, St Georgeīuilt of native red sandstone by struggling pioneers, the tabernacle was dedicated in 1876 and stands as a monument to their faith and determination. Visitors are invited to tour the grounds and view informational displays at an adjacent visitors center, but are not allowed to enter the temple itself. The temple is a majestic white structure that serves as an important area landmark. (The famous Salt Lake Temple was started in 1853, but was not completed until 1893). The building was completed and dedicated in 1877, making it the first LDS temple to be completed in Utah. Mormon pioneers began building this temple in 1871, soon after arriving in the area. Be prepared to travel on a clay road for about 1.5 miles (out and back), which may be impassable during/after periods of heavy rain.Below we list some of the most notable historic sites around St George. Turn onto Bridge Road from UT-9 in Rockville. In 1862, the Virgin River flooded and washed away the entire original town. If you’ve visited the Zion Valley, you can imagine what water can do if it rushed down the steep cliff walls and funnelled into the valley. The town of Grafton was settled a few miles south of Zion National Park on the Virgin River in 1859 by five Mormon families but cotton didn’t work so they switched to food crops. Originally settled by Mormons at the direction of Brigham Young – the area was though to be good for cotton which was highly valuable to early settlers. Troubles with local Native America tribes and building in a flood zone caused the ultimate failure of the town. The “bicycle” scene in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” was filmed in Grafton Ghost Town. Several movies were shot in this abandoned frontier settlement, including several scenes from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and the 1929 film In Old Arizona, the first talkie filmed outdoors. Ghost towns come alive again and hide the remnants among trailers and “no trespassing” signs.īut the Grafton ghost town consists today of a few brick buildings that have been preserved.
![grafton ghost town grafton ghost town](https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2015/12/03/19/54/grafton-1075531_960_720.jpg)
Old photographs don’t predict what you might see today. They only exist for a brief moment of time. We drove down the dusty, rocky road just outside of Zion National Park not knowing what to expect. Rockville, Utah POINT OF INTEREST: Settled by Mormons in 1859, this abandoned frontier town appears in several films including “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.”