History of the Area
The Town of Canton was established in 1889 but there had been inhabitants in the area for thousands of years. Native Americans of various tribes made their homes here. The Cherokee people were the last major tribe to inhabit the area prior to settlement by Europeans in the late 1700s.
The area where Canton is now had several names before it became Canton. When the Champion Paper Mill was established in the area in 1905, the industrial era began. Neighborhoods were built for the workers. The annual Labor Day celebration began in 1906 and continues even now.
The Pigeon River gave life and prosperity to the community however throughout history there have been unfortunate times when the River has brought destruction to the surrounding land. There was historic flooding in September 2004 and again in August 2021.
This is an image of the 2021 flooding.
