Lake Hayward is a natural freshwater lake within the state’s central region, located near the city of East Haddam. The lake was originally referred to as Long Pond by local indigenous tribes and was known as Shaw’s throughout its early colonial history, a reference to local gristmiller Thomas Shaw. In the early 20th century, it was named in honor of inventor Nathaniel Hayward, who worked with the Goodyear Rubber corporation to vulcanize rubber. Since then, the lake has been known as a popular seasonal recreational site, offering four miles of shoreline surrounding its 190-acre surface area. A state-owned launch site is provided for boating, canoeing, and kayaking. Swimming, hiking, and brown and rainbow trout fishing are popular summer activities, while skating and ice fishing are prevalent during the winter months.

Lake Hayward, 139 Witch Meadow Rd, Salem, CT 06420

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