Canton City in Georgia State

Canton City in Georgia State

Though everything in the town of Canton seems to be growing rapidly now, it’s had a very troublesome history since it was founded by the white settlers. Originally, the land was right in the middle of the Cherokee Nation. The indigenous tribe made their livings hunting deer and crafting jewelry from beads and shells. They were self-sufficient and self-governing with advanced towns and culture. When the settlers arrived, they managed to be left alone for the most part for over a century. They remained even when the state of Georgia made a treaty with the government after the Revolutionary War that asked for all western natives to be removed. This was largely in part to the Cherokee’s powerful reputation and the location as the middle of their tribe.
Unfortunately, in late 1820s, the Georgia Gold Rush brought white settlers to the area in droves. The Cherokee were forced away to live in forts until they ultimately joined the Trail of Tears in 1838. While they waited for their eviction, the settlers that remained grew their wealth with mining. Most people that arrived for the gold rush were simply placer miners, panning for nuggets in the rivers or digging shallow sites in the ground. Larger vein mine operations were also able to find gems and minerals like copper, iron, quartz, marble, and more.
Because of the sudden popularity and population spike, in 1832 it became a small town worthy of a name - Cherokee Court House. The next year, it became the county seat and was renamed Etowah. The year after that, it was renamed again to become Canton. Named after how the English pronounced the Chinese city of Guangzhou, Canton was given the name because the residents aspired to copy the Chinese’s wealthy silk industry. Though it was never realized, the town did go on to be a very successful industrial capital. As the gold supply and those that searched for it both dwindled, the other minerals and the growing agriculture and cotton industries helped the small town thrive--until the Civil War hit.
Unwilling to give up their slaves, the white citizens allowed Confederate soldiers use their town for supplies and rest. Guerilla attacks came from the town and the governor of Georgia at the time also lived there. In response to all of this, Union Army General William Sherman issued an order for the own to be burned to the ground in 1864. Over half of the buildings were destroyed, but as the county seat it had pride and funding. With help, it ultimately managed to survive and rebuild.
Following the war, times were tough for the people of Canton. What workers and investments had not left with the gold rush deserted to the rapidly growing city of Atlanta, the slaves were struggling to find a starting point, and the white people were trying to figure out how to do things themselves. They were saved in 1879 when a new railroad was laid to link the small town to other, bigger cities. With its new accessibility, Canton quickly became a vacation spot for wealthy citizens looking for somewhere cool to spend their summers.
Thanks to its surge of popularity, Canton managed to come out of the Great Depression relatively better than the rest of the country. Since then, its prosperity and population has grown. In the 1950s it began to live heavily on the poultry industry that created jobs, buildings, and connections that have lasted until today. More and more people began to move into Canton in the early 2000s, effectively tripling the population from 7,000 to 23,000 by 2010.
Today, the city is focused on smart growth technology and has a bustling job market. Though it had a rocky start, since Canton got on its feet it’s been growing quickly and has a very promising future.

-   From 20 Dollar Chiropractic