Shafer was founded in the 1850s and named after an early settler, Jacob Shafer. Hay, ginseng, and potatoes were some of the early crops produced. The railroad running from Taylors Falls to the Twin Cities made Shafer a thriving town during the turn of the century. Car dealerships, a creamery, a feed mill, a general store, taverns and cafes made up early Shafer.
