Waiting Room
Conductor Jack, checks his watch and is ready to call “All Aboard”. Our faithful conductor is named after Jack Potter Santa Fe/Amtrak Passenger Conductor raised in Shafter.
Agents Office
The agent’s office contains all the equipment needed to run a small town railroad agency during the heyday of railroading. Original timetables, tickets and the ticket dater used by the agent are found here. Freight waybills and tariffs from the era are on display. Hoops used to hand up orders to passing trains hang from the walls waiting their next call to duty. A special exhibit in this room features a Railroad Dining Car china and silver collection.
Baggage Room
This room contains a baggage wagon loaded for the next train, a working S-gauge American Flyer Train Layout, an exhibit “Trains Through Shafter” along with many railroad artifacts.
Freight Room Exhibits
The Freight Room contains a number of special exhibits:
General Shafter – Featuring personal effects of General William R. Shafter, the Commander of the victorious forces in Cuba during the Spanish American War. The SF&SJRR named this location Shafter in the General’s honor in 1898.
USDA Cotton Station – opened in 1917 and operated until 2012, the station developed cotton varieties and improved technology for California agriculture.
Post Office Display – Original furniture and cancellation stamp along with stamps on display that trace the history of the local Post Office from 1914.
Family History Through Kodak – Traces the development of the “Brownie” name, the “brownie” camera, which was cheap and easy to use, allowing all people to record their history photographically.
And much more!
Annabel Thompson Rooms
The parlor in the living quarters of the Depot is furnished to reflect the 1940’s era and is named after Annabel Thompson, a piano teacher and early resident of Shafter. The kitchen is furnished to reflect the early twentieth century period when the Depot building was built. A children’s room and master bedroom have also been furnished to complete the upstairs display.
Shafter Depot Museum 