Our Daily Show Interview! Mayor Morrow: State of Grafton 2026!
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GRAFTON - On a recent appearance on “Our Daily Show!” with CJ Nasello, Grafton Mayor Mike Morrow expressed his excitement for the year ahead, including the fulfillment of multiple campaign promises.
“2026 is going to be huge,” he said.
Morrow is especially excited to complete Phase One of the National Memorial of Military Ascent. The community is also in its final stages of securing a ferry.
On Jan. 20, 2026, the City of Grafton finalized its purchase of the Grafton Ferry. Morrow said the ferry should be operational by April 10, 2026.
He thanked those who have been instrumental in securing the ferry, including the Illinois Department of Transportation and George Andres, chairperson of the Grafton Ferry Commission.
The full-time ferry will operate from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays. One-way trips will cost $10, but commuters can buy ten trips for $70 every week. Morrow believes the ferry will be great for commuters who are traveling between Grafton and St. Charles, Missouri.
“It’s huge for our region,” he said. “When you talk to our businesses and the people in Missouri and St. Charles, this is big for them because they can commute. The biggest thing is going to be for the commuter. People are waiting for that to happen. We will be open 365 days a year.”
Grafton is also experiencing growth within city limits, including a new crosswalk downtown. Morrow complimented the city’s “staples,” including Drifter’s, Grafton Pub, Third Chute, and The Oyster Bar. He noted that he has found new favorite meals at spots like Southern Coastal Cuisine, Fountain Hill and Ruebel Hotel.
The marina is under new ownership, and the owners are “getting ready to expand and put a lot of money into the marina,” Morrow said. Raging Rivers WaterPark has also announced the addition of an RV park, miniature golf, axe-throwing and more.
Morrow commended the people who make Grafton into the thriving community it is, from his personal assistant Justin to organizer Paula Jameson, who helped create the Winter Lights Parade. This parade, Morrow noted, is a prime example of Grafton’s community coming together and growing even during the so-called off-season.
When you talk about growth, just take, for example, the Winter Lights Parade,” he said. “It was nice getting started, but now, it’s turned into something where the kids and the families line Water Street down there on both sides looking for the candy being thrown out and looking at all the different lights and so on. That’s an example, just like Santa Con. They started out, a couple of people, at The Loading Dock, and it’s turned into thousands of people. It’s incredible to have that happen in the wintertime down there in Grafton.”
As the year kicks off, Morrow is convinced it will be another successful one for the river town. He is proud of the people who work hard to build Grafton up, and he can’t wait to celebrate their wins alongside his neighbors and constituents.
“It takes wonderful imagination, but people who are entrepreneurs get out and do that,” he added. “We seem to have a lot of those in Grafton.”
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