Are you sure you know everything about Hayward? It is easy to say that you’re in love with its pleasant weather and natural beauty, which is a fact known to all. There is much more to Hayward than this. Here are a few facts that you may or may not know about Hayward, whether you reside here or visiting the city for the first time. So, let us surf through some interesting facts and tidbits to check how much you know- from geography and demographics to history to economy and government.
Image By A.kumar.er (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Hayward Geographic and Demographic Fast Facts
- Hayward is located in the San Francisco Bay area in the Alamada County of California.
- It is the 6th largest city in the Bay Area and 3rd largest city in Alameda County.
- Hayward ranks at 37th spot in population in the state of California with a population of more than 149,000 residents.
- It has a population of more than 149,000 residents.
- It is a part of the SFO Oakland Fremont metro area.
- It enjoys close proximity to the cities that are included in the “Top 15 Most Fun Cities in U.S.”- San Francisco and Oakland. It is about 20 minutes from Oakland (southeast) and 30 minutes from San Francisco (southeast).
- San Lorenzo Creek passes through Hayward.
- The ethnic composition of Hayward includes: White-34.2%, African American-11.9%, Asian- 22.0%, Native American-1.0%, Pacific Islander- 3.1%, from other races- 20.8% and from two or more races- 7.1%.
Hayward History Fast Facts
- Native American Ohlone and Yrgin Indians were the first residents of Hayward area.
- The human habitation in the area dates back to 4000 B.C.
- A land was granted to Guillermo Castro in 1843 by the Mexican government and it stretched from the Bay area to the present-day Hayward, San Lorenzo and Castro Valley. He named the land Rancho San Lorenzo.
- An explorer named William Dutton Hayward purchased many acres of land from Guillermo Catro in the year 1851 which is now called Downtown Hayward.
- William Hayward established a store on the Castro’s land in 1852. This land was from Oakland to San Jose and is now known as Mission Boulevard. This store was a main stop on this road.
- In 1852, William Hayward built Haywards Hotel and the surrounding areas were known as “Haywards” after the hotel of William Hayward.
- The first post office of Hayward was set-up in 1860.
- In 1876, the town was official incorporated as “Haywards”.
- The “s” in Haywards was officially dropped in 1911.
- In 1919, the first Hayward- San Mateo Bridge was opened, connecting Hayward to the San Francisco Peninsula.
- The city was named as the “City of Hayward” in 1928.
- The economy of the city was based on tourism and agriculture.
- The Hayward Area was called as the “Heart of the Garden of Eden” in the early 20th century.
- In 1950, it was known as the “Apricot City”.
- Important crops grown in the area were apricots, peaches, potatoes, cherries and tomatoes.
Hayward Government and Economy Fast Facts
- Hayward follows a Council-Manager type of government.
- It includes several manufacturing companies, including Columbus Salame, the Shasta Soft Drink Company, the Annabelle Candy, the Gillig Bus, a PepsiCo distribution and production center, the Columbus Salame, and the Impax Laboratories.
- The top employers in Hayward are: St. Rose Hospital, Hayward Unified School District, the City of Hayward, the California State University East Bay and Kaiser Permanente.
- It is a flourishing center of manufacturing, trade and commerce.
Hayward Important and Interesting Fast Facts
- The motto of Hayward is – “The Heart of the Bay”.
- Since 1995, it hosts the oldest and longest running gay prom in the US.
- It is one of the safest places to live in California with a crime rate six percent lower than average of California.
- Since 1986, it is known as the “Tree City USA”. It is referred as a nuclear-free zone.
- Well-known people from Hayward are: William Dutton Hayward (Founder of Hayward), Dwayne “Rock” Johnson (Actor and Professional Wrestler), Bill Walsh (Football coach), Agapius Honcharenko (Ukrainian Patroit), and Kristi Yamaguchi (Figure Skater).
- It is the sister city of- Faro, Portugal; Ghazni, Afghanistan; and Funabashi, China.
- “The Daily Review” is the daily newspaper in Hayward.
