ades ▁as ▁a ▁European ▁settlement : ▁ 1 8 5 9 ▁to ▁ 1 8 8 0 ▁ ▁Lang ’ s ▁Cross ing ▁Place ▁Post ▁Office ▁opened ▁on ▁ 1 6   A pril ▁ 1 8 5 9 ▁and ▁was ▁renamed ▁Hay ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 1 . ▁In ▁early ▁ 1 8 6 0 ▁a ▁brick ▁court - house ▁and ▁lock - up ▁was ▁built ▁at ▁Hay ▁( at ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁the ▁present ▁post ▁office ). ▁ ▁The ▁census ▁taken ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁revealed ▁that ▁there ▁were ▁ 1 7 2 ▁people ▁living ▁at ▁Hay ▁town ship , ▁consisting ▁of ▁ 1 1 5 ▁males ▁( of ▁whom ▁ 2 5 ▁were ▁aged ▁ 1 5 ▁years ▁or ▁under ) ▁and ▁ 5 7 ▁females ▁( of ▁whom ▁ 2 3 ▁were ▁aged ▁ 1 5 ▁years ▁or ▁under ). ▁Of ▁the ▁ 9 0 ▁males ▁aged ▁ 1 6 ▁years ▁or ▁more , ▁only ▁ 3 8 % ▁were ▁married ▁or ▁wid owed ; ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 4 ▁females ▁in ▁this ▁category , ▁ 7 6 % ▁were ▁married ▁or ▁wid owed . ▁The ▁census ▁also ▁enumer ated ▁the ▁buildings ▁at ▁the ▁new ▁town ship : ▁ 4 ▁brick ▁structures ; ▁ 1 7 ▁of ▁" we ather board , ▁sl ab ▁or ▁inferior "; ▁and , ▁ 1 4 ▁t ents . ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁two ▁new ▁hotel ▁lic ences ▁were ▁granted ▁at ▁Hay : ▁the ▁C