Photo Journal

Shafter, Then and Now

Explore archival photographs of Shafter at the height of its silver mining era alongside photographs documenting the town as it is thoughtfully restored today.

Then

Shafter in Its Silver Mining Era

Photographs from the years when Shafter was a thriving silver mining community, home to one of the largest silver mines in the Southwest. Together, they offer a glimpse into the people, places, and daily life that shaped the town before the mine closed in 1942.

The mine works at Shafter, with ore chutes and mule teams below the headframe — The mine works, and the teams that hauled from the ore chutesArchival

The townsite below the Chinati foothills, with the church spire and tents along the road — The town against the Chinati MountainsArchival

The mill building at Shafter, with its crew posed outside — The mill building, and the crew that ran itArchival

A mule team and cart in front of an adobe house at Shafter — A mule team outside one of the town's adobe housesArchival

Two miners underground beside an ore cart on rails — Miners underground in the Shafter workingsArchival

An early photograph of the church at Shafter — The church, in the town's mining yearsArchival

A rider on horseback in the hills near Shafter — On horseback in the Chinati countryArchival

A family in an early automobile near Shafter — An early automobile, and a family aboardArchival

A water wagon and its team outside a thatched building — The water wagon and its teamArchival

Now

Shafter Today

Photographs capturing Shafter as its historic homes, gathering places, and landmarks are thoughtfully restored and returned to use, carrying the character and story of the original town into its next chapter.

Restored stone houses at Shafter at dusk — Restored houses at duskToday

The restored church at Shafter — The church, one of the first buildings taken backToday

The Chinati foothills above Shafter — The Chinati foothills, above the townToday

The restored bar inside the Livingston saloon — Inside the saloonToday

The restored Dr. White's House — Dr. White's House, restoredToday

The Silver Mine Store, being restored as the town’s café and gift shopToday

A Model T on display at the Mine StoreToday

The bronze miner statue at Shafter — The miner, in bronzeToday

A shaded terrace with picnic tables, looking to the Chinati foothills — A shaded terrace looking to the Chinati foothillsToday

See What’s Coming Next

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