Grafton Ghost Town
Scenic landmarks
One of the West's most photographed ghost towns, Grafton is a preserved 1860s pioneer settlement on the Virgin River near Rockville, featured in films including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
History
Grafton was established in 1859 as a cotton-farming settlement under Brigham Young's direction. The original townsite, first called Wheeler, was largely destroyed by a Virgin River flood in early 1862 and rebuilt slightly upriver as New Grafton. Persistent flooding, silt-clogged irrigation, and isolation gradually drove residents away; the local congregation was discontinued in 1921, and the last residents left in the mid-1940s. Several structures survive, including an 1886 schoolhouse/church, the Alonzo Russell adobe home, and a pioneer cemetery.
Visiting
Grafton is one of the most photographed ghost towns in the West and has appeared in films including the 1929 talkie In Old Arizona and the 1969 classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Since 1997 the Grafton Heritage Partnership Project has restored buildings and preserved the surrounding farmland. The townsite lies across the Virgin River a few miles southwest of Rockville, reached via Bridge Road and unpaved county roads on the way to Zion National Park. There is no street address; the site is open to respectful daytime visitors.
Frequently asked questions
What movies were filmed at Grafton?
Grafton has appeared in several films, most famously the 1969 western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, as well as the 1929 talkie In Old Arizona.
When was Grafton settled and abandoned?
It was established in 1859 as a cotton-farming town. The local congregation was discontinued in 1921 and the last residents left in the mid-1940s.
How do you get to Grafton?
From State Route 9 near Rockville, turn south onto Bridge Road, cross the Virgin River, and follow the signed unpaved roads a few miles to the historic townsite.
Address
Rockville, UTContact
- Website: https://graftonheritage.org/