In modern-day Boonsboro, Shafer Park is known to be a place of communal gathering, entertainment for all ages, and annual events run by the local citizens. With the constant through traffic and bustle it is difficult to believe that in the past, Boonsboro’s Shafer Park had a much simpler beginning.

In the late 18th century, Jonathan Shafer was born to John Shafer and his wife, both belonging to the Reformed Church. Jonathan acquired a common education for the period, became a veteran in the War of 1812, and immediately embarked on business ventures in early-life. His first business in Boonsboro stood on the same ground as modern-day Shafer Memorial Park as a tannery, a place of processing for animal skins, in the early 19th century. Though optimal for the practice due to its rich environment and abundance of hemlock trees, the land was swampy and uneven, making it completely unrecognizable from present-day.

In addition to his successful business in tanning animal skins, Jonathan Shafer was also known for his leadership and mentoring as the first Boonsboro Burgess (also known as mayor) from 1831 to 1835, according to the Boonsboro Historical Society. Despite his successive run, he boasted his lack of solicitation for nominations or appointments, as the democracy of Boonsboro truly desired him to run and serve as Burgess.

One of the most outstanding attributes of Jonathan Shafer is his immense pride in his work. One primary focus during his service as Burgess, not including the 25 years working as a magistrate, was creating a system of pavements and other infrastructural improvements throughout Boonsboro. His efforts to improve the Borough served not only for himself, but for the local citizens and countless generations to come. Dedicated in 1939 by Borough officials, Shafer Memorial Park was founded on the concept of community and public service as a homage to Jonathan Shafer.