MEANINGS OF HOME

During the 20th century, Hayward was a magnet that attracted a diverse multicultural and socioeconomic population from within and beyond the Bay Area. Newcomers prized the beauty, climate, affordability, and promise of prosperity that Hayward offered. Those who settled here, Haywardians, thought keenly about the meaning of home. Their homes and outdoor spaces became inextricably linked to their identities, religions, cultures, and the region’s picturesque beauty. This sense of home extended to the communities they formed and the gardens, art, music, media, and publications that Haywardians created.

Eden

Erasure & Eden explores Hayward’s allure through photographs, promotional materials, and postcards published from the 1890s to the 1960s. Using chronology, the viewer will understand how Hayward transformed from a rural town into an urban city with promises of paradise and prosperity.

Hisako Hibi

Hisako Shimizu Hibi (1907-1991) was a Haywardian artist whose work is deeply rooted in and inspired by the San Francisco Bay Area. In particular, Hisabko’s paintings capture the rural and agricultural beauty of Hayward before WWII and her experiences of Japanese internment. This exhibit provides a glimpse into Hisako’s life and contribution to the cultural fabric of Hayward.

Russell City

Russell City, a town once located southwest of and later annexed to Hayward, was home to an inclusive, diverse, and culturally rich community. It was built and operated collaboratively by its residents, who fought for recognition and critical services that were withheld. Russell City’s story is one of community, grit, conviction, loss, and remembrance. In this exhibit we honor the history and residents of Russell City.

Shibata Family Garden

The Japanese Garden at Mt. Eden preserves an extraordinary history within Hayward. Created by the Shibata family within their flower nursery property over a thirty-year period, the garden at Mt. Eden exists still today amid nondescript commercial buildings.