Founded in 1805 alongsideNimishillen Creek, Canton became a center ofheavy industry because of its numerous railroad lines. As shifts in the manufacturing industry led to the relocation ordownsizing of many factories and workers during the late 20th century, the city's industry diversified intothe service economy, including retailing, education, finance andhealthcare.
Canton was likely named as a memorial to CaptainJohn O'Donnell, an Irish merchant marine with the BritishEast India Company whom Wells admired. O'Donnell named his estate inMaryland after the Chinese port city ofGuangzhou, formerly romanized as Canton. O'Donnell was the first person to transport goods from Guangzhou toBaltimore.[13] The name selected by Wells may also have been influenced by theHuguenot use of the word "canton", which meant a division of a district containing several communes.[14]
Through Wells' efforts and promotion, Canton was designated thecounty seat of Stark County upon its division fromColumbiana County on January 1, 1809. Canton was incorporated as a village in 1822 and reincorporated as a city in 1838. Wells donated his personal holdings in the city to Canton; these holdings would become the Christ United Presbyterian Church, Timken Vocational High School and McKinley Park (originally a cemetery).[12]
President McKinley's impact on Canton as his adopted home is still reflected today in many different ways, and he remains the namesake ofMcKinley Senior High School of the Canton City School System.
Ohio Historical Marker for Debs' Anti War Speech at Nimisilla Park
On June 16, 1918,Eugene V. Debs delivered the keynote speech at the annual Ohio Socialist Convention held in Canton's Nimisilla Park.[16] At the time, Debs had been a four-time candidate for president and was considered the country's leading socialist and labor organizer. During his speech he decried America's involvement in theFirst World War, saying, "They have always taught you that it is your patriotic duty to go to war and slaughter yourselves at their command. You have never had a voice in the war. The working class who make the sacrifices, who shed the blood, have never yet had a voice in declaring war."[17] Among Debs' audience at Nimisilla Park were agents of theU.S. Department of Justice.
On June 30, 1918, Debs was arrested and charged with, among other things, "unlawfully, willfully and feloniously cause and attempt to cause and incite and attempt to incite, insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny and refusal of duty, in the military and naval forces of the United States" under theEspionage Act of 1917. Debs' trial began on September 10, 1918, in theU.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. On September 12, 1918, a jury found Debs guilty. He was sentenced to ten years in prison. On March 10, 1919, theU.S. Supreme Court affirmed the constitutionality of Debs' conviction inDebs v. United States.[18] Debs began serving his prison sentence on April 13, 1919, and remained incarcerated until December 25, 1921, when he was released afterPresident Warren Harding commuted his sentence to time served.[19]
The U.S. Supreme Court's decision affirming Debs' conviction was sharply criticized by legal scholars at the time[20] and is generally regarded as a low point in First Amendment jurisprudence.[21] The lead author of the opinion, progressiveSupreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, later changed course that same term and authored a dissenting opinion recognizing the constitutional protection of such speech inAbrams v. United States.Justice Louis D. Brandeis was the only other jurist to join Justice Holmes' dissent, and the minority opinion had no effect on Debs' conviction and continued incarceration. The changed mind articulated by Justice Holmes on November 10, 1919, nevertheless had a profound impact on the development of American constitutional law.[22] His dissent inAbrams is considered by many legal scholars to be the canonical affirmation of free speech in the United States.[23]
While Debs' speech in Canton and subsequent conviction ultimately aided Debs in delivering the Socialist Party's antiwar platform, his age and the deleterious effects of prison exhausted his ability as an orator. Debs died of heart failure on October 20, 1926.[24] His obituary inThe New York Times recounted his words from the Ohio federal courtroom: "At his trial he admitted the charges against him, declaring he would not retract a word he had uttered to save himself from going to the penitentiary for the rest of his days. Before the sentence was passed on him, Debs said to the Court:[24]
"Your Honor, years ago I recognized my kinship with all living beings, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on earth. I said then, and I say now, that while there is a lower class I am in it; while there is a criminal element I am of it; while there is a soul in prison I am not free.
In June 2017 Canton applied for and received a historical marker from theOhio History Connection, formerly the Ohio Historical Society. The marker is located next to where Debs stood in Canton on the afternoon of June 16, 1918. It commemorates the significance and legacy of his speech at Nimisilla Park, notes the many speeches at the park by other prominent historical figures, and honors the park's continued importance as a gathering place for the community.[25]
TheTimken Company has been among the largest employers in Canton for nearly 100 years. In 1898,Henry Timken obtained a patent for thetapered roller bearing, and in 1899 incorporated as the Timken Roller Bearing Axle Company inSt. Louis. In 1901, the company moved to Canton as the automobile industry began to overtake the carriage industry. Timken and his two sons chose this location because of its proximity to the American car manufacturing centers of Detroit andCleveland and the American steel-making centers ofPittsburgh and Cleveland. By 1960, Timken had operations in the U.S., Canada, Great Britain, France, South Africa, Australia and Brazil.[26] The company changed its corporate structure in 2014; the roller bearing-producing part of the company was separated from the steel-producing part of the company, resulting in two separate companies. The Timken Company continues to manufacture roller bearings, while TimkenSteel produces steel.[27]
Today, TimkenSteel remains headquartered in Canton and employs 2,800 people, most of them in Northeast Ohio.[28] The company makes special bar quality steel, used in applications all over the world. The Timken Co. is now headquartered inJackson Township, a suburb of Canton, and employs 14,000 people around the world.[29] The company designs, engineers, manufactures and sells bearings, transmissions, gearboxes, chain and related products, and offers a spectrum of power system rebuild and repair services around the globe.[30]
TheDueber-Hampden Watch Company was an important employer in Canton during the early 1920s. It was formally organized in 1923, having previously consisted of two separate companies: the Dueber Watch Case Company and the Hampden Watch Company. In 1886, John Dueber, the owner of the Dueber Watch Case Company, purchased a controlling interest in the Hampden Watch Company. In 1888, he relocated the Hampden Watch Company fromSpringfield, Massachusetts and the Dueber Watch Case Company fromNewport, Kentucky to Canton, Ohio. These two companies shared manufacturing facilities in Canton but remained two separate companies. The Dueber Watch Case Company and the Hampden Watch Company quickly became two of Canton's largest employers. In 1888, the companies' first year in Canton, they employed 2,300 Canton residents. In 1890, Canton's population was 26,337. Thanks to these two companies, Canton became an important center for watch manufacturing in the United States.[31] In 1927 the company went bankrupt, finally ceasing operations in the city in 1930. The machinery and tools were sold to theAmtorg Trading Corporation, one of Soviet Russia's buying agencies in the US, for $329.000. The company's massive brick factories, which covered over 20 acres and included an ornate 150-foot clock tower, were demolished to accommodate the construction ofInterstate 77.[32]
On December 6, 1959, theCanton Repository, a local newspaper, called for city officials to lobby theNational Football League to create a football hall of fame in the community. Canton officials formally proposed their city as the site for the Hall of Fame in 1961. The NFL quickly agreed to the city's proposal. To help convince NFL officials to locate the Hall of Fame in Canton, city officials donated several acres of land on Canton's north side to the project. Local residents also raised almost $400,000 to help construct the Hall of Fame.[35]
ThePro Football Hall of Fame formally opened on September 7, 1963. Initially, the museum consisted of two buildings, but in 1971, 1978, 1995, and 2013, the Pro Football Hall of Fame experienced several expansions.[36] As of 2013, the museum consisted of five buildings, covering 118,000 square feet. Since its founding, over 10 million people have visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame.[37] "Welcome to Canton" is the official way of saying congratulations to a new enshrinee.
Starting in the mid-2010s, Canton began experiencing an urban renaissance, anchored by a growing arts district centrally located in the downtown area.[38] Several historic buildings have been rehabilitated and converted into upscale lofts, attracting hundreds of new downtown residents into the city.[39] Furthering this downtown development, in June 2016, Canton became one of the first cities in Ohio to allow theopen consumption of alcoholic beverages in a "designated outdoor refreshment area" pursuant to a state law enacted in 2015.[40][41]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 25.48 square miles (65.99 km2), of which 25.46 square miles (65.94 km2) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km2) is water.[46]
Canton has ahumid continental climate (Köppen climate classificationDfa), typical of much of theMidwestern United States, with warm, humid summers and cold winters. Winters tend to be cold, with average January high temperatures of 34 °F (1 °C), and average lows of 19 °F (−7 °C), with considerable variation in temperatures. During a typical January, high temperatures of over 50 °F (10 °C) are just as common as low temperatures of below 0 °F (−18 °C). Snowfall is lighter than thesnow belt areas to the north.Akron-Canton Airport generally averages 47.7 inches (121 cm) of snow per season. Springs are short with rapid transition from hard winter to summer weather. Summers tend to be warm, sometimes hot, with average July high temperatures of 83 °F (28 °C), and average July low of 62 °F (17 °C). Summer weather is more stable, generally humid withthunderstorms fairly common. Temperatures reach or exceed 90 °F (32 °C) about 10 times each summer, on average.[47] Fall usually is the driest season with many clear, warm days and cool nights. The all-time record high in the Akron-Canton area of 104 °F (40 °C) was established on August 6, 1918, and the all-time record low of −25 °F (−32 °C) was set on January 19, 1994.[48]
Climate data for Canton, Ohio (Akron–Canton Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1887–present
Canton's street layout forms the basis for the system of addresses in Stark County.[citation needed] Canton proper is divided into address quadrants (NW, NE, SW, SE) by Tuscarawas Street (dividing N and S) and Market Avenue (dividing E and W). Due to shifts in the street layout, the E–W divider becomes Cleveland Avenue south of the city, merging onto Ridge Road farther out. The directionals are noted as suffixes to the street name (e.g. Tuscarawas St W, 55th Street NE). Typically within the city numbered streets run east and west and radiate from the Tuscarawas Street baseline, while named avenues run north and south.
TheRidgewood Historic District is a historic residential neighborhood in Canton that, due to its architectural significance, was added to theU.S. National Register of Historic Places on December 19, 1982.[56] The neighborhood consists of preserved, architect-designedRevival style buildings of theTudor,Georgian, andFrench-Norman styles built in the early 20th century with amenities such as original brick streets and locally produced street lighting standards.[57] The District features homes designed by several distinguished architects, including Charles Firestone,[58] Herman Albrecht,[59] and Louis Hoicowitz.[60]
This section needs to beupdated. The reason given is: Demographic data from the 2020 Census is now available. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(August 2021)
Canton city, Ohio – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the census[70] of 2010, there were 73,007 people, 29,705 households, and 17,127 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,867.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,107.1/km2). There were 34,571 housing units at an average density of 1,357.9 per square mile (524.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 69.1%White, 24.2%African American, 0.5%Native American, 0.3%Asian, 1.0% fromother races, and 4.8% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino people of any race were 2.6% of the population.
There were 29,705 households, of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.8% were married couples living together, 21.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.3% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.04.
The median age in the city was 35.6 years. 25.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.6% were from 25 to 44; 25.6% were from 45 to 64; and 12.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.
As of the census[65] of 2000, there were 80,806 people, 32,489 households, and 19,785 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,932.1 people per square mile (1,518.2/km2). There were 35,502 housing units at an average density of 1,728.0 per square mile (667.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 74.5%White, 21.0%African American, 0.5%Native American, 0.3%Asian, nil%Pacific Islander, 0.6% fromother races, and 3.1% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino people of any race were 1.2% of the population.
There were 32,489 households, out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.1% were married couples living together, 19.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the city the age distribution of the population shows 26.6% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.9 males.
Themedian income for a household in the city was $28,730, and the median income for a family was $35,680. Males had a median income of $30.628 versus $21,581 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,544. About 15.4% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.4% of those under age 18 and 11.3% of those age 65 or over.
Production ofM3 half-track armored cars in a converted Diebold Safe and Lock Company plant, 1941
Canton's economy has traditionally been primarily industrial, with significant healthcare and agricultural segments.[71] The city is home to the TimkenSteel Corporation, a major manufacturer of specialty steel. Several other large companies operate in the greater Canton area, includingTimken Company, a maker oftapered roller bearings;Belden Brick Company, a brick and masonry producer;Diebold, a maker ofATMs, electronic voting devices, and bank vaults, andMedline Industries, a manufacturer and distributor of health care supplies. The area is also home to several regional food producers, including Nickles Bakery (baked goods), Case Farms (poultry), andShearer's Foods (snack foods). Poultry production and dairy farming are also important segments of the Canton area's economy.
Since 2000, Canton has experienced a very low unemployment rate.[72] The healthcare sector is particularly strong, withAultman Hospital and Mercy Medical Center among its largest employers. Nevertheless, as in many industrial areas of the United States, employment in the manufacturing sector is in a state of decline.LTV Steel (formerlyRepublic Steel) suffered bankruptcy in 2000. Republic Steel emerged and continues to maintain operations in Canton.Hoover Company, a major employer for decades in the region, reached an agreement to sell Hoover to Hong Kong-basedTechtronic Industries. The main plant in nearby North Canton closed its doors in September 2007 due to classified reasons. On June 30, 2014, theTimken Company and TimkenSteel split, forming two separate companies at the urging of shareholders.[73] The Timken Company relocated to neighboringJackson Township, while TimkenSteel remains headquartered in Canton. In response to this changing manufacturing landscape, the city is undergoing a transition to a retail and service-based economy.
Preserved bricks manufactured in Canton
Beginning in the 1970s, Canton, like many mid-size American cities, lost most of its downtown retail business to the suburbs. The majority of the Canton area's "box store" retail is located in the general vicinity of theBelden Village Mall inJackson Township. However, the 2010s saw the downtown area bringing in new cafes, restaurants, and the establishment of an arts district. A few retail centers remain in Canton at or near the city limits. Tuscarawas Street (Lincoln Way), a leg of theLincoln Highway connecting Canton with nearbyMassillon, is home to theCanton Centre mall and several retail outlets of varying size. A vein of commerce runs along Whipple Avenue, connecting the Canton Centre area with the Belden Village area. A similar vein runs north from the downtown area, along Cleveland and Market avenues. Connecting Cleveland and Market avenues is a small shopping district on 30th Street NW, and retail lines theRoute 62 corridor leading from Canton toLouisville andAlliance.
The city's economy has diversified due to the decline of theheavy manufacturing industry. At the heart of this transformation is thePro Football Hall of Fame, with its multimillion-dollar "Hall of Fame Village" expansion project.[74] This project has been complemented with significant investments by city leaders in urban redevelopment, which continued with the transformation of the Hotel Onesto into the Historic Onesto Lofts.[75] Other urban renewal plans are underway, which include the redevelopment of the downtown Market Square area.[76] Private investment has furthered Canton's transformation, which is illustrated by the multimillion-dollar creation of the Gervasi Vineyard, which draws patrons throughout the region.[77] In furtherance of these development initiatives, Canton was one of the first cities in Ohio to create a "designated outdoor refreshment area" legalizing the possession and consumption of "open container" alcoholic beverages in its downtown area.[78][79]
TheCanton Museum of Art, founded in 1935, is a broad-based community arts organization designed to encourage and promote the fine arts in Canton. The museum focuses on 19th- and 20th-century American artists, specifically works on paper, and on Americanceramics, beginning in the 1950s. The museum sponsors annual shows of the work of high school students in Canton and Stark County, and financial scholarships are awarded. Educational outreach programs take the museum off-site to libraries, parochial schools, area public schools, five inner-city schools, and a school for students with behavioral disorders. The city's Arts District, located downtown, is the site of monthly First Friday arts celebrations.[81]
Canton has the main branch of Stark County District Library.[82]
Canton is the home of the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival, which includes ahot air balloon festival, ribs burn-off, fashion show, community parade, Sunday morning race, enshrinee dinner, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame Grand Parade. The festival culminates in the enshrinement of the new inductees and the NFL/Hall of Fame Game, a pre-season exhibition between teams representing the AFC and NFC atTom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.[83]
The first officialfemale bodybuilding competition was held in Canton in November 1977 and was called the Ohio Regional Women's Physique Championship.[87]
For 10 seasons, Canton was home to anNBA G League team, theCanton Charge, which started play with the 2011–12 season and home games at theCanton Memorial Civic Center.[88] TheCleveland Cavaliers had full control over the franchise and relocated the franchise in to Cleveland in 2021 when the ten-year lease ended.
Canton has been home to professional baseball on several occasions. Several minor league teams called Canton home in the early 1900s, including theCanton Terriers in the 1920s and 1930s. TheCanton–Akron Indians were the AA affiliate of the major leagueCleveland Indians for nine years, playing atThurman Munson Memorial Stadium until the team relocated north to Akron following the 1996 season. Two independent minor league teams, theCanton Crocodiles and theCanton Coyotes, both members of the Frontier League, called Munson Stadium home for several years afterward. The Crocodiles, who won the league championship in their inaugural season in 1997, moved to Washington, Pennsylvania, in 2002, and the Coyotes moved to Columbia, Missouri, in 2003, after just one season in Canton.
Canton has amayor–council government and is the largest city in Ohio to operate without a charter. The city council is divided among nine wards with three at-large seats and the council president. In addition, an independently elected mayor serves as an executive. As of 2025, the mayor is William V. Sherer II and the council president is Kristen Bates Aylward.[2][3]
In April 2024, officers of the Canton Police Department restrained 53-year-old Frank Tyson after a car crash, with Tyson dying after the restraint. Police took down Tyson to the ground, handcuffed him, and then one officer kneeled on Tyson for roughly 30 seconds, with Tyson stating: "I can't breathe. I can't breathe. You're on my neck". After the knee was removed and Tyson was left on his stomach, Tyson became motionless and subsequently died. Two Canton officers were assigned paid administrative leave during an investigation into the incident.[94][95]
In May 2024, Canton Police officers arrested a male bystander during a traffic stop after Patrolman Nicholas Casto accused him of taunting his police dog.[96] Body camera footage showed several officers bringing the bystander to the ground, and Casto leading the dog to bite his arm for 15 seconds, despite the bystander keeping his arms still.[96][97] After the dog was removed, Casto praised it.[98] Casto was placed on paid administrative leave, prompting concern from Canton councilmen.[97] In early June, Police Chief John Gabbard recommended Casto's dismissal for false statements in his report that justified excessive force.[99] Director Andrea Perry, supported by Mayor William Sherer, fired Casto in late June, concluding the bystander posed no threat and Casto's actions endangered officers. Perry confirmed Casto knowingly provided inaccurate information.[100]
Canton's K-12 students are primarily served by the publicCanton City School District, which included eight elementary schools, three middle schools, and two high schools, in addition to alternative education centers.[101] A portion of northern Canton is included in thePlain Local School District, and another overlap exists with the suburbanCanton Local School District.[102]
Canton is part of theCleveland/Akron/Canton television media market. Four stations are licensed to Canton – full-powerWDLI (Bounce) andWRLM (TCT), and low-powerWOHZ-CD (RESN) andWIVM-LD (Independent). The two full-power stations identify asCanton/Akron/Cleveland, serving the entire market, while the two low-power stations specifically serve Canton.
Canton also has acablePublic-access television channel,Canton City Schools TV 11. The content varies based on the viewer's location. Citizens located inNorth Canton will see North Canton's programming instead of Canton City's. Those within the borders of Plain Local Schools will see Eagle Television's programming.
Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) provides public transit bus service within the county, including service toMassillon and theAkron-Canton Regional Airport. In February 2022, it was reported that SARTA had hired a consultant group to study the feasibility of alight rail line from thePro Football Hall of Fame to downtown Canton, with possible expansion to other locations around the county in the future.[106] In June of that same year, the full plan was released, calling for a nine-mile line fromAkron-Canton Airport to downtown, where it would run down 3rd street in a separated lane from traffic. It would connect to existing bus services nearBelden Village Mall and Cornerstone Transit Center. A first round of public meetings was held.[107]
^Healy, Thomas, ed. (2013).The great dissent: how Oliver Wendell Holmes changed his mind and changed the history of free speech in America (1. ed.). New York, NY: Metropolitan Books.ISBN978-0-8050-9456-5.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
