Haystack was founded in 1950 by a group of craft artists in the Belfast, Maine area, with support from Mary Beasom Bishop.

Muir and his wife Emily found a property on Deer Isle, which Bishop purchased to facilitate building a permanent location.

This book was based on numerous archival letters and personally conducted interviews with Francis Sumner Merritt and many of the earliest participants of Haystack, including Edward L, Barnes, Jack Lenor Larsen, and the sister of Mary Beasom Bishop.

Haystack offers summer workshops of one to three weeks in blacksmithing, clay, fibers, glass, graphics, metals, and wood.

[16] In addition to offering traditional tools and facilities for crafts, Haystack is a member of MIT's Fab Lab network.