Hayward Park was an early 1900s summer boarding house originally owned and operated by Ambrose D. Hayward, for whom it was named.
Ambrose Darwin Hayward was born in Augusta, Maine, June 8, 1825. When he was 20 years old, he moved to Massachusetts. He married Martha Wiley Oct. 15, 1851 in Lowell, Massachusetts. Together they had eight children: Martha (1856-1939); twins Temperance (1858-1938) & Arza Sidney (1858-1947); Charles (1863-?); Nettie (1867-1956); and three children who died in infancy.
By 1856 they were living in Chicago. As he was in the lumber business, he maintained a close business relationship with Whitehall, having extensive dealings with the Covell brothers and interest in one of the White Lake lumber mills. Ambrose bought land in the White Lake area in 1860 and eventually created Hayward Farm.
At the time of the Civil War, he tried several times to enlist but was unsuccessful.
Hayward always took pride in the development of this area.
In July 1910, it was reported in the local newspaper that a few guests of Hayward Park tried their hand at fishing. Mr. Francis Harbert caught a nice black bass and landed a six-pound walleye. Harriet Mason of Riverside, Illinois, hooked and landed a seven-pound pickerel.
In the summers he spent time in Whitehall and in the winters with his daughter in Chicago. It was there that he died Dec. 15, 1910. His wife also died in Chicago March 12, 1912. They are both buried in Oakhurst Cemetery in Whitehall.
Following his death and that of his wife, Ambrose’s oldest daughter, Martha Jennie, and her husband, William Garber, continued to operate the White Lake resort hotel known as Hayward Park for several more years.
Prior to coming to the area, Garber was in the grocery business in Lyons, Illinois, from 1892 to 1906.
Garber was born on New Year’s Day 1842, the youngest of 11 children. His mother died at his birth. His father died five years later. William was raised by an uncle in Buffalo.
He married Martha Jennie Hayward in Chicago Nov. 14, 1888, and they had four children: Irene H. (1890-?); William, Jr. (1892-1968); George W. (1894-1969); and Ethel J. (1897-1992).
Garber died in Muskegon April 9, 1932 at the age of 89. He had been a resident of the White Lake area for almost 25 years. His wife Jennie Hayward Garber died in Muskegon Oct. 21, 1939. They are both buried in Oakhurst Cemetery.
