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About Sir Charles Hayward Library

Since the inception of the City of Freeport, which was created after the landmark signing of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement between Mr. Wallace Groves and the Bahamas Government in August 1955, the organization and the sheer speed of development astonished even the investors who came to Grand Bahama island seeking new possibilities for business and entertainment. 

The infrastructure and organs of progress developed within the boundaries of 100,000 square miles of leased land became the magic city of Freeport within a decade.  Documenting the amazing progress of newly built churches, schools, hospital, banks, government agencies, post office and library in this urban center along with a large population shift from across the Bahamas and elsewhere became the subject of interest for its fledging newspaper, the Grand Bahama Tribune and later the Freeport News. 

Archiving the original maps, photographs, drawings and articles kept by the Sir Charles Hayward Public Library will allow a bird’s eye view of the vision and story of how Freeport came to be from 1955 to the present.  It is a testament to its founding fathers and the people of Grand Bahama and the Bahamas who came, saw and stayed to make Freeport the envy of region.