Shafer, MN

Shafer was founded in the 1850s and named for early settler Jacob Shafer. Hay, ginseng, and potatoes were among the first crops, but the railroad from Taylors Falls to the Twin Cities gave the town a second kind of map. Around the turn of the century, Shafer had a creamery, feed mill, general store, car dealerships, taverns, and cafes serving a farming community that now sat on a rail line. The St. Croix Valley remains close by, with Interstate Park about six miles from town. Today, Shafer's local calendar includes Shafer Days, with a parade, car show, coin hunt, bingo, music, food, and vendors. Chisago Lakes School District 2144 serves Shafer and the neighboring lake communities, while the city maintains parks, public works, and city services. Shafer's story is a small farming and railroad town that still keeps its county and river-valley connections in view.