Early history Human habitation of the greater East Bay, including Hayward, dates from at least 4000 BC. The most recent pre-European inhabitants of the Hayward area were the Native American
Ohlone people.
19th century , a noted
Californio ranchero, owned
Rancho San Lorenzo, which made up the modern cities of Hayward,
Castro Valley, and
San Lorenzo. In the 19th century, the land that is now Hayward became part of
Rancho San Lorenzo, a
Spanish land grant to
Guillermo Castro, in 1841. The site of his home was on the former
El Camino Viejo, or Castro Street (now
Mission Boulevard) between C and D Streets, but the structure was severely damaged in the
1868 Hayward earthquake, with the
Hayward Fault running directly under its location. Most of the city's structures were destroyed in the earthquake, the last major earthquake on the fault. In 1930, that site was chosen for the construction of the
City Hall, which served the city until 1969. A post office opened in 1860, followed by the town's incorporation in 1876. Hayward grew steadily throughout the late 19th century, with an economy based on agriculture and tourism. Important crops were tomatoes, potatoes, peaches, cherries, and apricots.
Hunt Brothers Cannery opened in 1895. Chicken and
pigeon raising also played important roles in the economy. A
rail line between
Oakland and
San Jose, the
South Pacific Coast Railroad, was established but later destroyed in the
1868 earthquake. The Hayward shore of the Bay was developed into extensive salt evaporation ponds, and was one of the most productive areas in the world, with
Leslie Salt being one of the largest companies.
20th century The
San Mateo–Hayward Bridge opened in 1929, connecting the city to the
San Francisco Peninsula. During the 1930s, the Harry Rowell Rodeo Ranch, now within the bounds of
Castro Valley, drew
rodeo cowboys from across the continent, and
Western movie actors such as
Slim Pickens and others from Hollywood. ID tag on Reverend Sui Hiro of the San Lorenzo
Holiness Church. Hayward, 1942 Prior to
World War II, Hayward had a high concentration of
Japanese Americans, who were subject to the
Japanese-American internment during the war. The war brought an
economic and population boom to the area, as factories opened to manufacture war material. Many of the workers stayed after the end of the war. Two suburban
tract housing pioneers,
Oliver Rousseau and
David D. Bohannon, were prominent builders of postwar housing in the area. The
Hayward Area Recreation and Park District was formed in 1944.
California State University, Hayward opened in the Hayward Hills in 1957.
Southland Mall was dedicated in 1964. The second San Mateo–Hayward Bridge opened in 1967. The
City Center Building opened in 1969 and acted as the new city hall until 1989 when the
Loma Prieta earthquake damaged the building and forced the city government to move out. The building was closed to the public in 1998, with the new
Hayward City Hall opening the same year.
Bay Area Rapid Transit began operating in the Bay Area in 1972, with stations in
downtown Hayward and
south Hayward. The
Hunt Brothers Cannery closed in 1981.
21st century The city's downtown area was slated for redevelopment in 2012 and 2013, with
landscaping, new businesses opening up, and older ones getting façade upgrades. The
Warren Hall on the
California State University, East Bay campus and the
City Center Building downtown were demolished in 2013. The
Russell City Energy Center began operating in 2013 at the Hayward shoreline. In May 2015, the city's former shoreline landfill was declared a site for conversion to a
solar farm, set to generate enough electricity to power 1,200 homes. It will be one of 186 sites in the
Regional Renewable Energy Procurement Project. In October 2015, construction began for the Hayward 21st Century Library and Heritage Plaza. The library opened in September 2019, and the plaza was originally expected to open sometime in 2019. ==Former communities==