Shafter, Texas, is a former silver-mining town with only about 25 residents today, but billionaire John Poindexter sees a future in its abandoned buildings and history. His Tidewater and Big Bend Foundation has received nearly $67 million since 2020 and is backing plans to restore parts of the settlement, including its historic church, saloon, general store and post office, as reported by Fortune. About a dozen adobe homes could eventually become accommodation for visitors. The project comes as Presidio County continues to lose population and faces limited services, with residents travelling 19 miles to Presidio for groceries. For Poindexter, the aim is to turn a declining mining town into a place where its past can still be experienced.
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