Term: Hayward [brief history]
Definition: Hayward is located 61 miles southwest of Duluth, MN in Sawyer County. The Chippewa Indians inhabited the area before white settlers came, attracted by the rich pine forests that would be used in lumber camps and saw mills.
Hayward is named for Anthony Judson Hayward, who first came in the 1870s to set up a pine lumber mill on the Namekagon River. In 1881, a railroad was constructed connecting through Ashland to expedite the amount of lumber that was transported. Even more jobs were created with the construction of more railroads, allowing loggers to easily commute to job sites.
Once the old saw mill burned down in 1922, Hayward shifted its economy from lumbering to tourism. Hayward’s location among a number of lakes attracts tourists who are looking to catch muskie, northern pike, walleye, and smallmouth bass. In fact, the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame is located in Hayward. Tourists also enjoy hunting, golfing, cross-country skiing, and visiting Hayward’s annual festivals. Among the popular festivals are the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival, an off-road biking festival, the Lumberjack World Championships, and the American Birkebeiner cross country skiing race.
[Source: WHS Library-Archives staff, 2009]
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