Legendary Locals of Castro Valley, Hayward, and San Lorenzo, California

Book excerpt: The Hayward area is a region in California made up of a city, Hayward, and two unincorporated towns, San Lorenzo and Castro Valley. The three communities share a common history, but each has unique individual stories--such as failed gold miner and entrepreneur William Hayward, who established a stagecoach stop and boardinghouse in 1851 that quickly attracted a diverse group of settlers and led to the establishment of the city of Hayward. Other legendary locals include Castro Valley historian Lucille Lorge, whose grandfather owned the first business in Castro Valley; English sailor Harry Rowell, who jumped ship in San Francisco Bay and was later known as the "King of the Rodeo" for his rodeo stock; and San Lorenzo Village developer David Bohannon, who changed the San Lorenzo farming area into a sprawling suburban center and the first planned community during World War II.