Canton, Connecticut facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Canton, Connecticut
|
||
|---|---|---|
Canton Historical Museum
|
||
|
||
 Hartford County and Connecticut Capitol Planning Region and Connecticut |
||
| Country |  United States |
|
| U.S. state |  Connecticut |
|
| County | Hartford | |
| Region | Capitol Region | |
| Incorporated | 1806 | |
| Hamlets | Canton (Canton Valley) Canton Center Collinsville North Canton |
|
| Government | ||
| • Type | Selectman-town meeting | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 25.0 sq mi (64.8 km2) | |
| • Land | 24.6 sq mi (63.7 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.4 sq mi (1.1 km2) | |
| Elevation | 436 ft (133 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
|
||
| • Total | 10,124 | |
| • Density | 411.6/sq mi (158.9/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP Codes |
06019, 06020, 06022, 06059
|
|
| Area code(s) | 860/959 | |
| FIPS code | 09-12270 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0213404 | |
| Major highways |   |
|
Canton is a town in Connecticut, United States. It was officially started in 1806. Canton is located in the Farmington Valley and is part of Connecticut's Capitol Planning Region. In 2020, about 10,124 people lived there.
The town is surrounded by other towns like Granby to the north and Simsbury to the east. The Farmington River flows through Canton. The town includes several small villages: North Canton, Canton Center, Canton (Canton Valley), and Collinsville. In 2007, Budget Travel magazine named Collinsville one of the "Ten Coolest Small Towns In America."
Contents
Canton's History
Canton officially got its name when it became a town in 1806. A person named Ephraim Mills helped organize the town and suggested the name. There are two main ideas about where the name "Canton" came from.
How Canton Got Its Name
One idea is that the name "Canton" comes from the word "canton," which is a type of administrative area in Switzerland. William Edgar Simonds, a relative of Ephraim Mills, believed this. He thought the name fit because Canton was "set off" or divided from the nearby town of Simsbury. Sylvester Barbour, in his book Reminisces, also agreed with this idea. He said Mills liked the Swiss people and their strong patriotism.
Another idea, suggested by Joel N. Eno in 1903, is that the name came from Canton, an old name for Guangzhou, China. This idea has been repeated by some newspapers since then. Other towns in the United States, like Canton, Massachusetts and Canton, Ohio, also share this name.
Important Inventions
Canton separated from the town of Simsbury in 1806. A very important invention happened in Collinsville, one of Canton's villages. At the Collins ax factory, Elisha Root invented a special way of making things called die casting. This was a big step forward for industrial manufacturing.
Fun Places to Visit
Canton has several interesting spots to explore.
Canton Historical Museum
The Canton Historical Museum is in Collinsville. It's located in an old building that used to be part of the Collins Axe Company. This company, started by Samuel W. Collins, was one of the first ax factories in the world! At the museum, you can see what a 19th-century general store looked like, along with a post office, a printing press, and old blacksmith and barber shops. They also have old vehicles, tools, farm equipment, and even a working model railroad. You can also see Victorian clothes, toys, and dolls.
Outdoor Activities
Since the Farmington River runs through Canton, it's a great place for water activities. Collinsville Canoe & Kayak is the biggest store for canoes and kayaks in New England. There's also a rail trail that goes through the town. This trail is perfect for walking, running, or biking.
Shopping and Energy
In the southeastern part of Canton, along U.S. Route 44, you'll find The Shops at Farmington Valley. This outdoor shopping center opened in 2004 and has space for about 50 stores and restaurants.
There was also a special law called the Collinsville Renewable Energy Promotion Act (H.R. 316;113th Congress). This law was about Collinsville and aimed to help the town restart two old dams. The goal was to use these dams to create hydroelectric power, which is a clean way to make electricity from water.
Canton's Geography
Canton covers a total area of about 64.8 square kilometers (25.0 square miles). Most of this area, about 63.7 square kilometers (24.6 square miles), is land. The rest, about 1.1 square kilometers (0.4 square miles), is water. The main part of town, called Canton Valley, is a specific area of about 4.6 square kilometers (1.8 square miles) that is all land.
People in Canton
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 1,322 | — | |
| 1850 | 1,986 | — | |
| 1860 | 2,373 | 19.5% | |
| 1870 | 2,639 | 11.2% | |
| 1880 | 2,301 | −12.8% | |
| 1890 | 2,500 | 8.6% | |
| 1900 | 2,678 | 7.1% | |
| 1910 | 2,732 | 2.0% | |
| 1920 | 2,549 | −6.7% | |
| 1930 | 2,397 | −6.0% | |
| 1940 | 2,769 | 15.5% | |
| 1950 | 3,613 | 30.5% | |
| 1960 | 4,783 | 32.4% | |
| 1970 | 6,868 | 43.6% | |
| 1980 | 7,635 | 11.2% | |
| 1990 | 8,268 | 8.3% | |
| 2000 | 8,840 | 6.9% | |
| 2010 | 10,292 | 16.4% | |
| 2020 | 10,124 | −1.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 10,129 people living in Canton. The town had 4,086 households and 2,785 families. Most people in Canton were White (95.7%). A smaller number were African American (0.9%), Native American (0.3%), or Asian (1.5%). About 2.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The population was spread out by age. About 25.7% of the people were under 20 years old. About 15.1% were 65 years or older. The average age in Canton was 43.9 years. Slightly more than half of the population (51.7%) were female.
Canton has been a growing town. It was even listed as one of the fastest-growing towns in Connecticut around 2006.
Getting Around Canton
Canton is served by major roads like U.S. Routes 44 and 202. Other Connecticut Routes like 177, 179, and 309 also run through the town.
If you need to travel to Hartford, there is a bus service called Connecticut Transit Hartford. There's also a special parking area called a Park & Ride lot in Collinsville where you can leave your car and take the bus. For longer trips, you can find train and bus services at Union Station in Hartford. The closest large airport is Bradley International Airport, which is about 13 miles (21 km) away in Windsor Locks.
Famous People from Canton
Many interesting people have come from Canton:
- Lucien Barbour (1811–1880) – A congressman for Indiana.
- Philemon Bliss (1813–1889) – A congressman for Ohio.
- Samuel W. Collins (1802–1871) – He founded the Collins Axe Factory, which is why Collinsville is named after him.
- Danny Hoffman (1880–1922) – A professional baseball player in Major League Baseball.
- Uriel Holmes (1764–1827) – A congressman for Connecticut.
- Merrill I. Mills (1819–1882) – He was the mayor of Detroit, Michigan.
- Anson Greene Phelps (1781–1853) – A successful industrialist and someone who gave a lot to charity.
- William E. Simonds (1842–1903) – A veteran of the US Civil War, he received the Medal of Honor and was also a congressman for Connecticut.
- David Vaudreuil (born 1966) – A professional soccer player and coach in Major League Soccer.
- Annie Withey – She helped create popular food brands like Smartfood and Annie's Homegrown.
See also
In Spanish: Canton (Connecticut) para niños
