GRAFTON - Heaven in the Shadow of Zion National Park | Ghost Towns of Southern UTAH
Set against the backdrop of Zion National Park is the ghost town of Grafton, Utah. Mormon pioneers settled into a community and farmed for decades despite flooding. Today beautifully preserved buildings are open for visitors to explore.
In the late 1850s, Mormon families in the area settled in communities near the Virgin River, hoping to eke out an existence. They banked much of their farming efforts on growing cotton, however, floods and an oversight in planting necessary crops such as corn, cane, and other food necessary for families to survive.
Floods, difficult conditions and constant tending to irrigation canals made living here difficult, and eventually, families packed up and moved on seeking out better land. What remained were a number of buildings - homes, barns, and a church - for visitors to explore. Some restoration and preservation have been made on the buildings.
Due to the very scenic background of Zion National Park in the background, the ghost town has also served as a set in numerous movies over time as well.
VIDEO FILMED: 09/05/2022
▬▬ R E L A T E D V I D E O S ▬▬
⚪ A Completionist's Guide to Hiking THE NARROWS Bottom Up | Zion National Park - • A Completionist's Guid...
▬▬ L O C A T I O N I N F O ▬▬
⚪ GRAFTON GHOST TOWN - graftonheritage.org/
⚪ Directions to GRAFTON GHOST TOWN - goo.gl/maps/JdT9cW5MYwMxm2sMA
▬▬ T I M E S T A M P S ▬▬
00:00 The Majestic Background of Zion National Park
02:05 The Town of Grafton
21:34 Grafton Cemetery
▬▬ L I N K S ▬▬
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Welcome to the Cactus Atlas! We are Glenn and Amy and invite you to join us as we visit all sorts of locations across the American West. We tour both natural and man-made attractions.
Our base of operations is in the Phoenix, AZ area. We do a lot of hiking and day trips as well as campground reviews and hope that we will be a great resource if you are planning a trip to the American West. We also hope to delight you with our exciting adventures!
Пікірлер: 47
Great work! You are respectful, kind, and genuine. I love the orange light you spoke of.
@CactusAtlas
5 ай бұрын
Thanks so much! We appreciate that! 😊
What a great video! Here I thought that Zion was only good for those amazing landscapes, but then you show us this gem, well-done sir!!
@CactusAtlas
Жыл бұрын
Many thanks! 👍
What a nice place to explore 😊👍
@CactusAtlas
Жыл бұрын
It really is!
Hello from Seattle ☔. I happened upon your channel & I definitely subscribed. I was born & raised in Utah & now thinking of returning. I've been to southern Utah a thousand times especially Arches and Canyonlands. Your videos bring tears to my eyes as this desert is so beautiful and getting off the main road discovering sites not populated are the best. I also must say your choice of music and soothing voice make your videos very nice. Thank you for taking me back to redrock country again. 💜🌵💜🌵
@CactusAtlas
Жыл бұрын
Why thank you! We're really pleased that we can bring you a taste of Utah (and neighboring areas). We have plenty more to come in the future. 😊
Wow more new adventures I never seen such old pioneer Town I can't wait to get out their Cemetery are great I love visiting old tombstones such history Hi Amy..
@patriciashirley7095
Жыл бұрын
Could you camp next to this old buildings
@CactusAtlas
Жыл бұрын
There's camping nearby in Zion and possibly the area but I don't believe there is camping in Grafton itself.
Wow really cool. Its crazy to think that its considered a ghost town, but those views would probably make the property pretty expensive today. It's so great that its open and restored. I wish more places would do that.
@CactusAtlas
Жыл бұрын
Our thoughts exactly. There's something oddly fascinating about buildings at the brink of collapse, weathered with time, and such... but it's also really cool seeing buildings restored a bit to help fill out the mental image of how things might have looked at the time.
I love all your videos but these are my absolute favourite videos learning about the old West seeing how people lived and what a struggle it was Glenn and Amy you do it so well thanks x
@CactusAtlas
Жыл бұрын
Glad you like them! They are some of our favorites too. 😊
The process of turning a round log into flat surface is called hewing. You are right. It is done by repeatedly chopping to get the flat surface. Love this trip you took us on. Thanks.
@CactusAtlas
Жыл бұрын
Thank you! Happy to bring this adventure to you! 😊
I’m with you when it comes to basements with earthen floors. We had one under our farmhouse in New Mexico. One day we found a snake in there. 🐍 Great video, Glenn & Amy! Keep ‘‘em coming.
@CactusAtlas
Жыл бұрын
I've been in an unfinished basement or two before and yeah, they're interesting for sure. Certainly a certain smell (and feel) to them.
WOW!
I love this video! Lil darlin the haunt season is always. It doesn't discriminate against time nor places as it's always everywhere we are, even in your house or where ever you live. But don't worry. "They" can't hurt you. You know how you were a little creeped out in the one room at 10:00? There were voices at 10:01(female), 10:05 (male). A guy yells at 10:53-10:54 and it's creepy. 16:15 an older lady says "Who's that?" it wasn't from the big group of people because the voice was like right next to you. It's loud. 23:21-23:24 a lady says something over the music. It's creepy sounding. 26:19-26:20 guy asks "What did you say" over the music. The rest of the voices I assume were other people visiting. Cheers!
Thank you for your videos the content is amazing appreciate your work really takes me back to the days when I used to explore I can't imagine trying to make a coherent video like you have keep it up!!
@CactusAtlas
Жыл бұрын
Our pleasure! We both love what we're doing and enjoy sharing them with others. Thank you so much! 😊
This is where my friends and I went, a couple of different times. We had different experiences each time. But of course, we went at night.
I can imagine myself a passing through cowboy riding to this town getting supplies and continuing my travel to nowhere...
@CactusAtlas
Жыл бұрын
Following this image right along. I imagine it had to be the best feeling after riding a while and seeing a town with that kind of backdrop too.
That is some beautiful country! I love seeing all those homes in immaculate condition!
@CactusAtlas
Жыл бұрын
The houses just really make it, don't they? Especially that two story one. Easy to see why it has been in movies. 😊
I love your tours. I look forward to new posts. Thanks for showing all these beautiful parks and ghosts towns.
@CactusAtlas
Жыл бұрын
Anytime! Always happy to share our adventures with others. 😊
According to the book, "When Hollywood Came to Town" by James V.D'Arc, "Old Arizona" was the first all-talking western drama ever filmed in 1928. The western movie would talk first in Utah utilizing the virtually abandoned town of Grafton. I was also watching a movie on TV from 1947 called "Ramrod" starring Joel McCrea when I noticed familiar buildings. A complete western town set with both sides of the street had been built using the church and Alonzo house as part of the town.
@CactusAtlas
Жыл бұрын
Fascinating! Thanks for the information! 👍
We visited Grafton in June of 2021 while visiting Zion. It looks like more buildings/spaces were open when you visited. We were able to go in a couple houses, but I don't recall the cellars being open. It was interesting to visit, but my idea of a ghost town was based on the Grand Canyon episode of the Brady Bunch when they get stuck in the jail of a ghost town. So not quite the same. lol
@CactusAtlas
Жыл бұрын
Haha! Ghost towns seems to come in all shapes and sizes I guess. We've seen some that are nothing more than crumbling remains (Vulture City was very much like that when we first visited in 2010 or so).
I would love too stay out there and be the caregiver
@CactusAtlas
Ай бұрын
Sounds like the dream, right? 😊
my dream visit gost town 😭😭
@CactusAtlas
2 ай бұрын
Gorgeous scenery, isn't it? 🤩
How about a homemade oatmeal-raisin cookie? Well, if you got one, I'll take one. Lol
@CactusAtlas
Жыл бұрын
I'm so down with an oatmeal raisin cookie. Glenn would be more team chocolate chip though. 😅
Did you drive the Smithsonian Butte Scenic Byway on the way out? I sure hope so.... it is arguably one of the coolest dirt roads in Ut/AZ.
@CactusAtlas
Жыл бұрын
Glenn did not on this trip. Sadly we were not aware of it at the time as we didn't have our offroad vehicle at the time this was filmed (early September). We know about it now though! Thank you so much! 😄👍
@mcoffroadinaz4075
Жыл бұрын
@@CactusAtlas I'll see if I can find my gps data for a very hidden camping spot that overlooks the entire valley on the west. It's an incredible area, that only the locals really know about. I got lucky.
@CactusAtlas
Жыл бұрын
Oooh! You definitely have our attention! We've been looking into doing a bit more camping now that we have the truck. 👍
You've watched too many spooky movies.
@CactusAtlas
Жыл бұрын
😂 Probably have.
😎👍👍