Driving Around Small Town Grafton, IL in 4k Video

Filmed on Sunday, February 26, 2023, I drive around the village of Grafton, Illinois to see what's going on. For a town with a population of 626, there was a LOT going on! It was a great little town!

Grafton is the oldest city in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. It is located near the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 626. Prior to the Great Flood of 1993, Grafton had enjoyed a stable population of nearly 1,000 residents.

Grafton is a part of the Metro-East region and Greater St. Louis.

Founded in 1832 by James Mason, Grafton is the oldest city in Jersey County. Described as having "a post office, one store, one tavern, and a number of families" in 1834, the area was being settled as early as 1812 when a blockhouse was built at the confluence for protection. The city was named after Mason's birthplace of Grafton, Massachusetts. Grafton was incorporated on May 16, 1907.

Grafton's population reached its peak at approximately 10,000 in the 1850s with employment opportunities coming from the local stone quarries, boat building and commercial fishing. At one point, there were five quarries in or around Grafton that employed nearly 2,000 men. The local limestone was used to build the Eads Bridge in St. Louis, government buildings in Rock Island, and the Jersey County Courthouse in Jerseyville. The Shafer's Wharf Historic District was one of the largest commercial fishing centers along the Mississippi River in the late 19th century. The Old Boatworks, located south of Main Street, once housed a paint house and a machine shop where paddle wheelers and later PT boats were built. Today, the Old Boatworks building hosts many antique and craft stalls and is open on the fourth weekend of each month from May through October.

The Great Flood of 1993 caused significant damage to many of Grafton's structures, and a third of the city's residents moved away. The effects of the flood are still evident and the city's population has not recovered.

Grafton's main industry is tourism. The city is at the center of the region's bald eagle watching area and proudly calls itself "The Winter Home of The Bald Eagle." Main Street is lined with restaurants, antique, craft, and wine shops, which make Grafton a popular stopping place for bicyclists on the Sam Vadalabene Bike Trail or for visitors in search of fall foliage color and bald eagles. During the warmer months, visitors can take advantage of the two rivers with boating, canoeing and parasailing activities. There are two river ferries in the Grafton area that provide transportation to St. Charles County, Missouri and Calhoun County. Five miles west of Grafton is Pere Marquette State Park, which is Illinois' largest and most popular state park.

Grafton has seven places and sites that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Grafton Historic District, Grafton Bank, the John and Amelia McClintock House, Ruebel Hotel, the Slaten-LaMarsh House, and the Paris Mason Building were all added in 1994. The Charles Brainerd House was added to the Register in 1998.

Illinois Route 100 runs along a west–east route through the city. It is part of the Great River Road and the Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway. Also, Illinois Route 3 has its northern terminus in Grafton at Illinois Route 100.

There are two ferries that serve Grafton. The Grafton Ferry takes travelers across the Mississippi River to St. Charles County, Missouri, while the Brussels Ferry takes travelers across the Illinois River to Calhoun County, Illinois. #driving #travel #drivingtour

[gordonclark-dqly]

i used to live behind the BP gas station in a converted garage around 2000, hasnt changed much except for the development. nice place to live with all the restaurants and the old bar across from the BP

[danielgreen]

I used to live in the area, one of the few things I miss is getting catfish fritters at O Jan's on the left there just after you turned right onto the main drag .

[cdnamerican]

I was around there for a year, attending Prin College. It seemed more happening then.

[elusivelectron]

2:18 If you would have continued left, there is an alpine roller coaster.

[martyaz]

Interesting little town, especially with the "ski" lift.