The county was formed in 1808 from the western part of Buncombe County. It was named for John Haywood, State Treasurer of North Carolina from 1787 to 1827.
In 1828 the western part of Haywood County became Macon County. In 1851 parts of Haywood County and Macon County were combined to form Jackson County

Law & Government
Haywood County is a member of the regional Southwestern Commission council of governments.
Haywood County contains a portion of the Qualla Boundary which is a tribal reservation for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and is therefore subject mostly to tribal/federal laws rather than county or state laws.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 555 square miles (1,436 km²), of which, 554 square miles (1,434 km²) of it is land and 1 square miles (2 km²) of it (0.17%) is water.
The Pigeon River originates in Haywood County. It is the only county in North Carolina that all water flows out while none flows in.
Notable peaks in the county include Cold Mountain, at 6,030 feet (1,840 m), Mt. Sterling, at 5,835 feet (1,779 m), and Richland Balsam, at 6,410 feet (1,950 m) in elevation. Mt. Guyot, the county's highest point at 6,621 feet (2,018 m), is the 4th highest mountain east of the Mississippi River. Black Balsam Knob, in the Great Balsam Mountains in the southeastern section of the county, is the highest grassy bald in the entire Appalachian range. Haywood county is claimed by some to be the highest county (by mean elevation) east of the Mississippi River, with a mean elevation of 3600 feet (1095m).
Sections of Pisgah National Forest are in the far northeastern and southern parts of the county.
A portion of Great Smoky Mountains National Park is in the northwestern section of the county, north of Maggie Valley. Along with several mountains rising to over 6,000 feet (1,800 m) in elevation, the Haywood area of the Smokies includes Cataloochee, which is home to a large campground and several historical structures dating to the 1800s and early 1900s.

Townships
The county is divided into fifteen townships: Beaverdam, Bethel, Cataloochee, Cecil, Clyde, Crabtree, Cruso, East Fork, Fines Creek, Iron Duff, Ivy Hill, Jonathan Creek, Pigeon, Waynesville, and White Oak.

Cities & Towns

• Canton
• Clyde
• Lake Junaluska
• Maggie Valley
• Waynesville
• West Canton

National protected areas

• Blue Ridge Parkway (part)
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park (part)
• Pisgah National Forest (part)