| OCR Text |
Show Background In 1997 the Grafton Heritage Partnership Project (Partnership) was formed to protect and conserve the natural and cultural resource values in and around the historic townsite of Grafton, Utah. The Partnership is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization that consists of 18 partners that include local, state, and federal governments, land protection associations, and private landowners. The Town of Rockville is a participating partner. While conservation of resources is paramount, the Partnership strives to develop meaningful public recreation visits to the Grafton townsite and cemetery through self-guided interpretive walks, brochures, signage, and special events. The Grafton cemetery is an historical monument and provides a unique opportunity for area visitors to learn about early pioneer settlement and Utah history. It serves as a cultural legacy to the many families who are descendents of Grafton settlers. It provides an opportunity to teach today's youth about pioneer history and serves as a reminder to the elderly of days gone by; who in turn share their knowledge. Existing Conditions Existing conditions at the cemetery includes a non-historic gated mesh wire fence enclosure around burial plots with headstones. The fenced area includes an historic wood enclosure, in immediate need of repair, surrounding the gravestones of a pioneer family. The interior area around the gravestones is almost entirely denuded of vegetation from high visitor use within the confines of the cemetery closure. A rustic wood routed sign, mounted on cedar posts, provides the name of the cemetery. Gullied topography and low desert vegetation that is impacted from high visitor use, represents the surrounding area. Recreational use of off road vehicles and overnight camping does occur in undesignated areas along the wash bottom to the west and south of the cemetery. Long-term Management Objectives and Strategies The primary objective of the Partnership and the Town of Rockville is to protect and maintain the ghost town character of the historical monument and continue to provide limited public recreation opportunities to the site. Through fund raising efforts of the Partnership, the cemetery would be maintained through establishment of a maintenance endowment account. All activities within the cemetery will be conducted in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Treatment of Historic Properties. The Partnership currently operates under the general guidance of a Vision Document (dated 1999). Land use activities within the Town of Rockville boundaries are identified in the approved (1999) General Management and Land Use Plan This agreement does not alter BLM's responsibility for management of non-recreational resources on the public lands or alter any existing right or agreements with the Town of Rockville, Washington County, State of Utah, or public land users. |
