Hayward Real Estate and History

Hayward is known as the "Heart of the Bay" because of its central and convenient location in Alameda County - 25 miles southeast of San Francisco, 14 miles south of Oakland, 26 miles north of San Jose, and 10 miles west of the valley communities surrounding Fremont and Pleasanton. Centrally located and serviced by an extensive network of freeways and bus lines, Hayward is home to more than 175,000 diverse residents. Affordable housing continues to draw many homeowners and commuters to move to Hayward. Hayward offers a wide selection of new and existing homes that appeal to different income and age groups.

History

Before the appearance of the Spanish padres and the founding of Mission San Jose, the Hayward area was occupied by the Costanoan Indians for some 3,000 years. They lived in cone-shaped straw and mud huts, coming down from the hills to the bay to gather shellfish and hunt sea lions for their diet.

In 1843, Mexican Governor Michaeltoreño rewarded Guillermo Castro for his past military and civil service by granting him "El Rancho San Lorenzo" - 27,000 acres of flatlands, hills and canyons now known as Hayward and Castro Valley. Castro erected an adobe house where the historic Hayward City Hall is located. Castro's corrals were in the area now occupied by the current Library and Post Office, and not far from the location of the Hayward Area Historical Society Museum. By 1852, Don Castro had laid out the town of San Lorenzo, four blocks square, on the area surrounding his rancho adobe and rodeo plaza. He donated land for schools and public places and began to sell off parcels of land.

How Hayward got its Name

In 1851, during the time of the Gold Rush, William Hayward made his way to "El Rancho San Lorenzo," squatting on land in Palomares Canyon. In 1852, at the invitation of Don Guillermo Castro, Hayward bought 40 acres of land spanning what is now the downtown Hayward area. He opened a general trading store which soon prospered into a stagecoach stop, a post office, a hostelry and a dairy farm. Later, William Hayward became Post Master, Justice of Peace, County Supervisor and Eden Township Roadmaster. Hayward and his second wife, Rachel, also established the "Hayward's Hotel," one of the area's finest resorts.

Although Don Castro named what is now downtown Hayward "San Lorenzo," many people referred to the town as "Hayward's Place" or "Hayward's" because of the famous Hayward Hotel. When the post office was established in 1860, the town was given the official name of "Haywood," due to a clerical error. In 1876, "Haywood" was incorporated as the "Town of Haywards," with a population of 1,100. In 1894, the "s" in "Haywards" was dropped and on September 18, 1928, the status of the community was changed to the "City of Hayward."

Present Day Hayward

Hayward continues to plan for the future, maintaining a balance between the needs of our diverse residents and a growing business community. Hayward's Growth Management Strategy, designed with input from citizens, balances the needs of our growing population with the preservation of open space, and the need for economic development.