Hayward Lake Property - Lake Homes & Cabins

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Hayward Lake Property

Today those looking to own a piece of Hayward's lakeshore can still find affordable land. Land values have continued to rise and the premier lakes of Round, Grindstone and Lac Courte Oreilles go for around $3000 plus per foot. Medium lakes start around $1500 per foot. Prices of course vary depending on the quality of the shoreline. Most of the lakes have sand bottom and excellent fishing. Once you get about 20 miles out of Hayward, the lakeshore prices drop and offer very affordable opportunities for lakeside living. Tourists can also explore the many Hayward resorts or the popular option of Hayward cabin rentals. Whether you are looking to buy, rent or just spend a few days, Hayward is sure to make a lasting impression—and you're sure to find yourself wanting to come back to this land of lakes and forests.

About the Hayward Lakes Area

Known for its laid-back Northwood's ambiance and its penchant for all kinds of festivals, the Hayward Lakes area in northwestern Wisconsin is a place sure to capture your heart and pique your adventurous spirit. It's a place you'll want to return to year after year. From North America's most famous cross country ski race to the world's largest freshwater fish museum, Hayward will entice anyone from the most avid sportsperson to the quiet soul looking for solitude in its pine covered forests, rolling hills and calm shores.

The Area & Its Communities

Hayward is a small town of a population around 2,000 tucked away in the lakes and woods of Sawyer County in northwestern Wisconsin. Located just a quick three hour drive from Minneapolis, six hours from Green Bay, two hours from Eu Claire, one hour from both Rice Lake and Ashland and less than an hour from Lake Superior, Hayward is the gateway to Wisconsin's upper vacationland. Its central location gives visitors easy access to points of interest across northern Wisconsin and along Lake Superior's southern shore. The nearby towns of Cable, Minong, Seeley, Stone Lake and Spooner offer a short drive to state parks, antique shops, restaurants and historic sites.

Festivals and Attractions

Hayward is the hub of a full wheel of attractions that makes it the place to vacation in northern Wisconsin. Perhaps it's most famous for its festivals. Across the season visitors may participate in the Lumber-Jack World Championships, where both novices and tried and true timber folk gather to challenge their skills; in the colorful Musky Festival (record breaking muskies are caught in the lakes around Hayward); the Fat Tire Festival - which is a fun-filled celebration of mountain biking; the Fall Festival that highlights the gorgeous array of brilliant crimson, fiery orange and striking yellow oaks and maples; and of course the most famous Hayward event: the Birkebeiner Cross-Country Ski Race that draws 8,000 skiers from around the world.

If it's large fish you are looking for, you will find the world's largest in Hayward - fish so large you can walk right into them and discover a fascinating account of the history of freshwater angling. The National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame is housed in a giant 41-foot tall, 143-foot long fiberglass musky. Three other buildings house more than 5,000 dated lures, 300 antique rods, reels and angling accessories, scores of antique and classic outboard motors, and more than 200 species of fish displayed on over 400 mounts. It's a fish's world and kids and avid anglers alike will enjoy browsing the museum grounds and taking snapshots of the larger-than-life catches.

If it's a bit of criminal history that intrigues you, then spend some time at The Hideout -- Al Capone's Northwood Retreat where the infamous gangster reportedly smuggled alcohol and liked to relax in the summer months of the early 1920's. The once sprawling 500-acre estate was built to protect the notorious mobster, with 18-inch concrete walls, machine gun placements in the garage and a gun tower where guards were stationed whenever "the boss" was around. Today the property has retained its period furnishings and cultural mystique, and visitors may take a guided tour and dine at the restaurant or drink a "Mary Pickford" cocktail at the full service bar. The owners also operate auctions and antique/collectible sales throughout the season. Come get your piece of the past!

For the more docile minded outdoor enthusiasts, Hayward is renown as the "golf capitol of Wisconsin," and has 14 excellent courses within an hour's drive. Golf not your thing? Then try your hand at the nearby LCO Casino, Lodge & Convention Center—operated by the local Native American tribe. Children will enjoy the Wilderness Walk Zoo & Recreation Park—home to a variety of wild animals, gift shop and trails.

Nature is by far the primary attraction in northern Wisconsin and visitors have a kaleidoscope of activities to choose from to reconnect to Mother Earth. From May to October, those interested in discovering Wisconsin's natural/cultural and geological history can participate in the guided "Down to Earth" tours. There is also horseback riding, superb fishing, sand beaches, dog sledding in the winter, dozens of state parks and natural sites to visit. The Chequamegon National Forest draws nature lovers and those looking for hiking trails and the chance to observe wildlife in its undisturbed environment. The Namekagon River flows passed Hayward and river rafting, fishing and bird-watchers will enjoy its endless rhythm.

Lodging, Shopping and Dining

In Hayward, visitors will find local arts and crafts, homemade candy shops, quaint cafes, and unique gift shops for that perfect trip memento or locally crafted rustic décor for your house or cabin. Restaurants offer everything from pizza to BBQ ribs to old fashioned diners and several area fine dining establishments. The atmosphere is relaxed, carefree, fun and family-oriented. A cinema offers Hollywood's latest and national chains like Walmart make getting those last minute supplies easy.

Numerous Hayward resorts and lodges provide amenities and comfort during your stay and some offer a more historic look at life in the Hayward area. Private homes are also for rent.

A Land of History

The Ojibwe inhabited the Hayward Lakes area for centuries. In 1854, the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation was established by a treaty between the tribe and the U.S. government. Lac Courte Oreilles is also the name of one of the premier lakes in the area, originally known as Ottawa Lake. While natives lived around the lake for some 700 years, it wasn't until 1745 that an official village was formed.

The French-Canadians arrived during the 1700's to trade for beaver pelts. The first post was built at Cadotte's, about 3 miles south of present-day Hayward on the Namekagon River. In 1800, John Corbin (Corbine today), re-opened the post on the shores of Lac Courte Oreilles near a Chippewa village. The French-Canadian's Catholic influence and the missionaries of St. Francis Solanus introduced the natives to the religion and built a mission church and school in the 1880's. Later, from 1918 to 1925, this mission was operated by the first Native American priest in America, Father Philip Gordon. He oversaw the construction of the pipestone church that is still in use today. Other than the church, the mission cemetery is the only remaining structure of the native Ojibwe past in the area.

During the 1870's the white pine logging industry found its way to the area's virgin forests. Mr. A. J. Hayward, a prominent logging industrialist, brought his lumberjacks and sawmills and by 1881 the city of Hayward was named. Sawyer County was formed from parts of Ashland and Chippewa counties in 1883. Natives and whites intermarried and you will still find many French surnames in the area today. The Ojibwe operate the casino, a college and public radio and visitors can observe a glimpse into their rich cultural past with the traditional dances, costumes, songs and lore performed during festivals.

The railroads followed the logging progress and offered easy access for the lumber industry. Soon tourists and adventurists arrived and the first resorts opened around 1900, just as logging was dying out. With the area's lakes, natural beauty and terrain, the resort industry carried Hayward through the 1900's and is still the area's main economy.

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