Clem "Pop" Shaffer was born in Harmony, Indiana on July 20th 1880 and was the 13th child. His father was a blacksmith, a common and very necessary occupation of the time, and he passed this on to his son. "Pop" was a blacksmith, but he was also many other things: a merchant, a horse trader, a land speculator, a philanthropist, a patriot... The list goes on and on, but most of all he was a dreamer and an artist. Fortunately, "Pop" was one whose main efforts were devoted toward making his dreams come true. He selected Mountainair, New Mexico in the early 1900's, as the place to achieve these dreams.
Mountainair, New Mexico at that time was a thriving community known as "The Pinto Bean Capital of the World," a beehive of activity and enterprise. It was the ideal setting for his efforts to culminate into reality.
Least we forget, "Pop" was not alone, his partner and wife, affectionately referred to as "Ma," deserves a great deal more credit than has been given her. Lena Imboden Shaffer, "Pop's" second wife, was undoubtedly the mainstay of this combo, the one who made it all work. All too often credit has neglected the man, or women as in this case, behind the scene. Lena, "Pop," and the children, two of which were from his first marriage, lived on a homestead south of Mountainair. When "Pop" wrote his memoirs, he said that Lena was the most wonderful stepmother that ever was. Jackie Hudgeons, a granddaughter said, "She must have been a saint." She was awfully tolerant of Grandpa."
In 1908, blacksmith Clem "Pop" Shaffer arrived in Mountainair. In 1923, tired of wooden buildings that kept burning down, Pop crafted a building out of cast concrete, which he reinforced with old iron odds and ends. This became the Shaffer Hotel, which he covered with his interpretation of Indian motifs. Next to the hotel, he crafted a unique fence of cement, inlaid with stone animals. The hotel is a block south of Broadway at Rte. 55 and 75 mile south of Albuquerque.
Pop's ranch, Rancho Bonito, just south of town, is decorated in an equally inventive fashion. These are considered among the finest works of the Pueblo-deco period and are wonderful to see. These buildings are listed on the National Historic Landmarks registry.
Mountainair, New Mexico at that time was a thriving community known as "The Pinto Bean Capital of the World," a beehive of activity and enterprise. It was the ideal setting for his efforts to culminate into reality.
Least we forget, "Pop" was not alone, his partner and wife, affectionately referred to as "Ma," deserves a great deal more credit than has been given her. Lena Imboden Shaffer, "Pop's" second wife, was undoubtedly the mainstay of this combo, the one who made it all work. All too often credit has neglected the man, or women as in this case, behind the scene. Lena, "Pop," and the children, two of which were from his first marriage, lived on a homestead south of Mountainair. When "Pop" wrote his memoirs, he said that Lena was the most wonderful stepmother that ever was. Jackie Hudgeons, a granddaughter said, "She must have been a saint." She was awfully tolerant of Grandpa."
In 1908, blacksmith Clem "Pop" Shaffer arrived in Mountainair. In 1923, tired of wooden buildings that kept burning down, Pop crafted a building out of cast concrete, which he reinforced with old iron odds and ends. This became the Shaffer Hotel, which he covered with his interpretation of Indian motifs. Next to the hotel, he crafted a unique fence of cement, inlaid with stone animals. The hotel is a block south of Broadway at Rte. 55 and 75 mile south of Albuquerque.
Pop's ranch, Rancho Bonito, just south of town, is decorated in an equally inventive fashion. These are considered among the finest works of the Pueblo-deco period and are wonderful to see. These buildings are listed on the National Historic Landmarks registry.
Clem "Pop" Shaffer was born in Harmony, Indiana on July 20th 1880 and was the 13th child. His father was a blacksmith, a common and very necessary occupation of the time, and he passed this on to his son. "Pop" was a blacksmith, but he was also many other things: a merchant, a horse trader, a land speculator, a philanthropist, a patriot... The list goes on and on, but most of all he was a dreamer and an artist. Fortunately, "Pop" was one whose main efforts were devoted toward making his dreams come true. He selected Mountainair, New Mexico in the early 1900's, as the place to achieve these dreams.
Mountainair, New Mexico at that time was a thriving community known as "The Pinto Bean Capital of the World," a beehive of activity and enterprise. It was the ideal setting for his efforts to culminate into reality.
Least we forget, "Pop" was not alone, his partner and wife, affectionately referred to as "Ma," deserves a great deal more credit than has been given her. Lena Imboden Shaffer, "Pop's" second wife, was undoubtedly the mainstay of this combo, the one who made it all work. All too often credit has neglected the man, or women as in this case, behind the scene. Lena, "Pop," and the children, two of which were from his first marriage, lived on a homestead south of Mountainair. When "Pop" wrote his memoirs, he said that Lena was the most wonderful stepmother that ever was. Jackie Hudgeons, a granddaughter said, "She must have been a saint." She was awfully tolerant of Grandpa."
In 1908, blacksmith Clem "Pop" Shaffer arrived in Mountainair. In 1923, tired of wooden buildings that kept burning down, Pop crafted a building out of cast concrete, which he reinforced with old iron odds and ends. This became the Shaffer Hotel, which he covered with his interpretation of Indian motifs. Next to the hotel, he crafted a unique fence of cement, inlaid with stone animals. The hotel is a block south of Broadway at Rte. 55 and 75 mile south of Albuquerque.
Pop's ranch, Rancho Bonito, just south of town, is decorated in an equally inventive fashion. These are considered among the finest works of the Pueblo-deco period and are wonderful to see. These buildings are listed on the National Historic Landmarks registry.
Mountainair, New Mexico at that time was a thriving community known as "The Pinto Bean Capital of the World," a beehive of activity and enterprise. It was the ideal setting for his efforts to culminate into reality.
Least we forget, "Pop" was not alone, his partner and wife, affectionately referred to as "Ma," deserves a great deal more credit than has been given her. Lena Imboden Shaffer, "Pop's" second wife, was undoubtedly the mainstay of this combo, the one who made it all work. All too often credit has neglected the man, or women as in this case, behind the scene. Lena, "Pop," and the children, two of which were from his first marriage, lived on a homestead south of Mountainair. When "Pop" wrote his memoirs, he said that Lena was the most wonderful stepmother that ever was. Jackie Hudgeons, a granddaughter said, "She must have been a saint." She was awfully tolerant of Grandpa."
In 1908, blacksmith Clem "Pop" Shaffer arrived in Mountainair. In 1923, tired of wooden buildings that kept burning down, Pop crafted a building out of cast concrete, which he reinforced with old iron odds and ends. This became the Shaffer Hotel, which he covered with his interpretation of Indian motifs. Next to the hotel, he crafted a unique fence of cement, inlaid with stone animals. The hotel is a block south of Broadway at Rte. 55 and 75 mile south of Albuquerque.
Pop's ranch, Rancho Bonito, just south of town, is decorated in an equally inventive fashion. These are considered among the finest works of the Pueblo-deco period and are wonderful to see. These buildings are listed on the National Historic Landmarks registry.
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