HAYESOconto CountyWisconsin The tiny, almost ghost-town, of HAYES was named
after the Hayes Creek, which runs just to the west of the village. The
creek was named after an early logger who was gone by the time the village
began. Later reports state that it was named after US President Rutherford
B. Hayes, however, the original Hayes family had, by then, long been living in Oconto.
Regarding August or Gust Bartz of Hayes, brother of William and Fredrick of How and Mountain: April 3, 1903
August 21, 1906
According to the Oconto County Reporter in
the 1890's, Hayes was a large and prosperous town. It had two hotels, several
saloons, two general stores, barber shop, dress maker, photography studio
(proprietor was Mr. A.G. Cato, originally from Chautauqua County, New York,
who offered "the good people of this locality an opportunity to 'secure
the shadow ere the substance fades'."), one feed and grain store, the Lutheran
church and school, the Methodist Church, blacksmith shop, cooper shop,
wagonmaker and repair shop, furniture factory, a stage coach office, dray
service, livery, and "many fine houses, mostly of newer design."
John Holl, early town of How pioneer homesteader, bought one early trading post in Hayes in 1889, which he enlarged greatly into a general store. This store remained in service to the community, again moderized and enlarged in the 1950's, until the 1970's. It remained owned and operated by Anna Holl, daughter of John. Many former and present residents of the area have found memories of being invited to annual Christmas Parties at the Holl General Store by Santa and hosted by Annie Holl. Over the many decades of the store, community people were invited to an annual 4th of July picnic and fireworks, which had at one time featured competitions between local volunteer fire departments, lumberjack sill competitons, children's games and a evening barn dance where all were invited to socialize. After Annie Holl's death the store was sold and became a furniture factory, which was totally destroyed by fire a few years later. Only the Holl house remains standing. This building stood beside the store and for years served stage travelers and lumber teams meals in the hall that once was attached at the rear, while other family members saw to the store customers. John holl once owned 9 properties in Hayes. The railroad was surveyed and set to come through at Hayes, however, in a very quiet deal, Mr. Suring offered them free land for a railroad station in the tiny settlement of Suring, which had one house near a swamp at the time. The railroad was then built to pass Suring in 1898 and that village became the main focus of local business. |