[3] The earliest inhabitants of the area eventually comprising Haywood County were Cherokee Native Americans.

[4] In July 1776, during the early stages of the American Revolutionary War, Cherokee warriors began attacking white settlements in western North Carolina.

[5] White settlement increased after the war, with most of the settlers being of English, Scotch-Irish, German, and Dutch descent.

[10] The last shot of the Civil War east of the Mississippi was fired in Waynesville on May 9, 1865, when elements of the Thomas Legion (Confederate) skirmished with the 2nd North Carolina Mounted Infantry (Union).

[11][12][13] In the 1880s, the Western North Carolina Railroad extended lines through the county, creating new economic industries centered on logging and tourism.

[31] Haywood County contains a small portion of the Qualla Boundary, a tribal reservation for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

[34][35][36] On October 1, 2020, the Haywood County Sheriff's Office took over all law enforcement service for the town of Clyde.

[37] Fire protection and rescue services are provided by the Clyde, Cruso, North Canton, Saunook, Waynesville, Crabtree-Ironduff, Maggie Valley, Junaluska, Center Pigeon, Canton, Jonathan Creek, Fines Creek, and Lake Logan-Cecil Fire Departments.

[38] Voter Registration Statistics: Republicans=16,918 Democrats=11,477 Prior to the Civil War, Haywood County elected several Whigs to office.

[40] Pactiv Evergreen is largest employer in Haywood County, and operates a large paper mill in Canton and another facility in Waynesville.

[42] The closure is projected to result in the loss of hundreds of jobs and $500 million in overall economic impact,[43] and Haywood County Schools is expected to become the largest employer.

[42] The Blue Ridge Southern Railroad operates a rail line with freight service through Haywood County.

[42] According to the 2021 American Community Survey, an estimated 27.7 percent of county residents have attained a bachelor's degree or higher level of education.

[48][49][50] Folkmoot USA is an international folk festival held since 1984 in Waynesville, North Carolina and surrounding communities.

The Southeast Tourism Society has named Folkmoot USA one of its top twenty events for 20 years.

The North Carolina General Assembly declared Folkmoot USA to be the state's official international folk festival in 2003.