Bayside is a land of vast beaches, fertile, rolling hills, and lush woods. The actual town of Bayside sprang into existence just before WWII. After the Lend Lease Act was signed and America began to produce war materiel for the Allies, the wealthy Hagar family came to Bayside and helped build a thriving shipyard which aided the Allies until the end of the War. 

After Japan had been defeated, the Bayside shipyards closed. The Hagars remained, directing their considerable resources toward other endeavors such as helping direct the rebuilding and resupplying of Europe. Over time the family began to die out, its final member, Granny Hagar, having passed away  just recently.  She left the estate to her good friend Jon.

The town, including the students of Bayside U., sits at about 10,000 people, mostly farmers and fishermen.  The locals are very rural and old fashioned, almost like throwbacks to an earlier era.  But the people do have a special charm.

Bayside U. was built following WWII. With no more war, industry workers left the shipyards and the town, leaving land prices extremely cheap. The Hagars bought up a prime spot of real estate overlooking the ocean and called it Bayside University. The original enrollment hit a whopping 100 students in 1949, but today there are well over 600 students.  The most well-known degree program at Bayside U. is that of Oceanography. 

Bayside U. is the home of the Badgers, quite possibly the worst college football or basketball or -- let's just say they don't win a lot.  But they do try.  They did beat Penn State as seen in the storyline: The Lion's Share. The professors who teach at Bayside U. are, to say the least, unique.  And the students who leave the small college certainly have something to talk about later in life.

Hagar House

Many years ago the Hagar family came to the lazy town of Bayside with their vast fortune and connections to help America build a shipyard to produce warships for WWII.  The war ended, and the shipyard closed down.  The Hagars lost money but were still quite wealthy and decided to stay in the little town they'd grown to love.  Only recently did the last of the family, Granny Hagar, pass away.  She left her estate to her good friend Jon Irie, who is the caretaker for house.  The house and land are paid for, and as per Granny's wishes Jon rents the house out cheaply to students of Bayside U. 

The house is huge with over 10 bedrooms and two bathrooms, a huge kitchen and living room.  It sits on a hill overlooking Hagar Bay, a cozy stretch of beach on the warm Atlantic Ocean.  The property itself is a good 50 acres and its all Jon can do to keep it nice.  Some say that Granny Hagar's ghost still prowls the halls keeping an eye on things ...

The No Chance is about the only place in Bayside to get a good cold beer.  The owner and his son are smart enough to keep plenty on hand for college students, on whom they depend.  Butch, the owner, is a crusty old man who loves money more than he dislikes "them whippersnappers" and he's the butt of many a good-natured joke on the part of the students.  They love him. 

The biggest joke is the lighted disco dance floor that Butch put in back in the 70s when he hoped to hit it big with the disco craze.  The Bayside U. students enjoy it and are always dancing there.

A few years ago, a stipulation in Granny Hagar's will became active.  It apportioned a sum of her money to some lucky resident of Bayside to be determined at random.  That money was to be used to start a small business of the selected person's choice. That person just happened to be Bob, who decided to renovate an abandoned radio station and start his broadcasting career there (storyline can be seen HERE).  The radio station is all rock (the only rock station for many miles) and it drives the local inhabitants nuts.  Of course the students listen to the station all the time. 

Bob employs several of the gang at Hagar House to help DJ and do some reporting at the football and basketball games.  The coverage is, if anything, different.