Grafton, Utah - A Boo-tiful Spot for a Ghost Town

LOCATION:  The ghost town of Grafton is located just south of Zion National Park near Rockville in Washington County, Utah (USA).   

BACKGROUND:  Grafton was settled in the 1860's.  At that time there were about 28 families living here.  The small town included a post office, church, school, and community hall.  It is reported to be the most photographed ghost town in the western United States. 

According to Wikipedia, a ghost is “an abandoned village, town, or city, usually one which contains substantial visible remains. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters.”

So, what happened to Grafton?  In 1866, the town was deserted due to Indian attacks but the residents did return here.  The ultimate demise of Grafton was due to the numerous floods (or droughts) that occurred.  By the 1940's, the town of Grafton was abandoned.   

Here is the good news/bad news: 

Exploring & Hiking in Sleeping Bear Dunes NLS

LOCATION:  Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (NLS)

The Philip Hart Visitor Center is located at 9922 W Front St, Empire, Michigan USA (about 22 miles west of Traverse City in the northwestern quadrant of Michigan's Lower Peninsula)

Telephone:  (231) 326-4700

BACKGROUND INFO:  Fortunately for us, in 1970 Congress authorized the preservation of this beautiful stretch of land in and around Lake Michigan.  This 71,199 acre park includes two islands (North and South Manitou), an 1871 lighthouse (on South Manitou Island), and a rural historic farm district (Port Oneida) … not to mention the dune formations, miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, inland lakes and rivers, forests, and countless year-round recreational opportunities.   

Welcome to Sleeping Bear Dunes NLS

Sleeping Bear Dunes NLS is a fee area   If you don’t have a Park pass one can be purchased at the Visitor Center in Empire, Michigan.  This is a good place to start.  You can get maps and information about the park, view a movie in the auditorium or wander through the exhibit area.

Philip Hart Visitor Center

Sleeping Bear Dunes NLS is one of my favorite weekend destinations.  From the view at the top of the popular Dune Climb to the scenic overlooks along the Pierce Stocking Drive to the hidden treasures that can be discovered when exploring the back-country two-track roads, I never get tired of visiting 'the Dunes" and here are some of the reasons why … 

I've Got Georgia On My Mind

When I think of the State of Georgia, I immediately envision Colonial-style mansions, Spanish moss dripping from the limbs of stately trees, sipping Mint Juleps on a warm afternoon, juicy peaches, and friendly southern hospitality.  So, it wasn’t a surprise to learn that Savannah is known as the “Hostess City of the South”.   

Visiting Savannah, Georgia has been “on my mind” for a long time.  I wanted to experience the southern charm and history this town has to offer.  Savannah is home to one of the largest Historic Districts in the United States.  So, when my sister suggested we take a Sunday drive to Savannah, I was excited to cross off another item on my “bucket list".  

We drive on US-17 and cross the Talmadge Memorial Bridge.  The bridge was completed in March of 1991 and has a main span of 1,100 feet and a total length of 1.9 miles.  

Talmadge Bridge

We easily find the parking lot for Old Savannah Tours (301 MLK Blvd).  The morning of our tour, we purchased our tickets on-line saving us $6 per person (regular price is $28).  The White Trolley On & Off tour is a popular tour allowing us to get on and off the trolley (at the designated stops) anytime we wish throughout the day.  Another thing I liked about this tour is that the tours are not scripted.  This allows each bus driver/tour guide to interject their own personality into the tour like doing a Forrest Gump impersonation at Stop 2.

Our plan is to do the tour's complete loop first (allow 90- 100 minutes).  This will give us a chance to see what is at each stop.  Then, we will do the loop again and get off at the stops where we want to spend some time.

So, climb aboard the tour bus and join me as I see the sites of Savannah. Oh, and here's a tip when you board the bus ...

You'll Really Dig "The Big Ditch" - Panama Canal

In the 1880's, the French proposed a 50 mile long canal that would be built across the Isthmus of Panama in a northwest to southwest direction connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.  This would save ships from sailing 8,000 miles around the Horn of South America.  The French worked for ten years on the canal.  However, the seemingly impossible terrain, construction costs, natural elements, and loss of thousands of lives resulted in the failed attempt to build "The Big Ditch".  So, how did the Panama Canal become a reality?

*Map

Charming Cayman Castle

LOCATION:  Pedro Castle Road, Savannah, Savannah KY1-1501, Cayman Islands (a 20 minute drive from Georgetown)

Telephone #:  1 345-947-3329

GENERAL INFORMATION:  The property is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except Christmas and Good Friday).  There is a Visitor Center, restrooms, theater exhibits, a gift shop, and cafe

The multi-sensory room is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a presentation beginning every hour. 

There is an admission fee (currently $10 US) and free to children under the age of 12 (accompanied by a parent). 

HISTORIC INFORMATION:  Pedro's Castle is the oldest existing building in the Cayman Islands.  William Eden had this house built in 1780 using slave labor from Jamaica.  At a time when most people lived in small thatched-roof houses this building must have seemed like a castle to them.  Over the years, many families lived here but it also served as the jail and courthouse and a restaurant. Eventually, the building fell into a state of disrepair.  In 1996, a $6 million restoration project brought the building back to its 18^th century style.  The Pedro St. James National Historic Site opened in 1998. 

Our tour arrives at the “castle”.  We enter through the gift shop and spend a few minutes browsing before proceeding into the courtyard.  At this point, we are greeted by a guide who takes us into the theater and begins telling us the history behind the Castle including a tragic death of a young girl …

A Natural Choice - Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park

LOCATION:  On Frank Sound Road in the district of North Side (about a 45-minute drive from George Town)  

Phone #:  1 345-947-3558

GENERAL INFORMATION:  This 65-acre Botanic Park & wildlife facility opened in February of 1994 for the purpose of preserving natural environments and places of historic significance in the Cayman Islands.  The Garden is open daily from 9:00 a.m. and closes promptly at 5:30 p.m. with the last admission at 4:30 p.m.

The admission fees are:   $6.00 for adults; $3.00 for children (6 to 12) and free for children under six.

Our visit here is part of a cruise ship shore excursion and we are allowed one hour to tour the Park.   So, we better get going!

The first thing I notice is the multi-tiered water fountain in the brick courtyard and then I see it ... . on the Visitor Center's veranda is a large blue iguana!