Canton, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Canton, Illinois
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Parlin Library
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"We do that here"
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Location of Canton in Fulton County, Illinois.
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 Canton, Illinois
Location in Fulton County, Illinois
Canton, Illinois
Location in Illinois
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Fulton |
| Townships | Canton, Buckheart |
| Founded | 1825 |
| Incorporated | 1837 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 8.01 sq mi (20.76 km2) |
| • Land | 7.86 sq mi (20.35 km2) |
| • Water | 0.16 sq mi (0.41 km2) |
| Elevation | 640 ft (200 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 13,242 |
| • Density | 1,685.16/sq mi (650.62/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
61520
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| Area code(s) | 309 |
| FIPS code | 17-11007 |
| GNIS ID | 2393732 |
Canton is a city in Fulton County, Illinois, United States. It is the largest city in the county. In 2020, about 13,242 people lived there. Canton is part of a larger area called the Peoria–Canton, Illinois Combined Statistical Area.
Contents
Geography of Canton
Canton is located in the northeast part of Fulton County. Two main roads, Illinois Route 9 and Illinois Route 78, go through the city center.
How Big is Canton?
- Illinois Route 9 goes east about 8 miles (13 km) to Banner, near the Illinois River. It goes west about 27 miles (43 km) to Bushnell.
- Illinois Route 78 goes north about 10 miles (16 km) to Farmington. It goes south about 11 miles (18 km) to Little America in the Illinois River valley.
- The city covers about 8 square miles (21 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
History of Canton
Canton was started in 1825 by a person named Isaac Swan. He believed his new town was directly opposite Canton, China, on the other side of the Earth.
Important Events in Canton's History
- In June 1835, a strong tornado hit the city. Isaac Swan and his infant child were among those who died.
- Another powerful tornado, an F-3, struck Canton on July 23, 1975. Two people lost their lives. The storm caused a lot of damage to the downtown area.
- Many parts of Canton, especially the northern areas, have underground tunnels. These were created by coal mining in the 1800s. Miners used a method called "room and pillar" to dig out coal.
New Businesses and Growth
- In 2002, a local group started planning to build a plant to make ethanol from corn. After some delays, the plant opened in 2007. It was later renamed Riverland Biofuels.
- In 2008, Cook Medical announced they would open a new factory in Canton. This factory would make medical devices. The owner, William "Bill" Cook, grew up in Canton. He wanted to help his hometown.
- The state of Illinois helped with money for the Cook Medical factory. This included grants for community development and road improvements.
- The factory was planned to be very large, with more than 300 employees.
- Bill Cook also bought and fixed up several old buildings in downtown Canton. He bought the 1883 Randolph Building and the Lewis Pharmacy Building. He also built a new hotel called the Canton Harvester Inn and another factory, COOK Polymer.
Recent Challenges
- On November 16, 2016, a gas leak led to an explosion. An Ameren worker who was fixing the leak died. Twelve other people were hurt.
- The explosion destroyed a building next to the Opera House. The Opera House and two other buildings were too damaged to be repaired. Many other buildings in the area also had damage.
Media in Canton
Canton has its own local news sources:
- A daily newspaper called The Daily Ledger.
- Three radio stations: WBYS, WPZA, and WILP (known as Q98.1).
- A weekly newspaper called "The Fulton Democrat".
- A weekly shopping publication called "The Independent Shopper".
People of Canton
How Many People Live Here?
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1840 | 762 | — | |
| 1850 | 1,568 | 105.8% | |
| 1860 | 2,373 | 51.3% | |
| 1870 | 3,308 | 39.4% | |
| 1880 | 3,762 | 13.7% | |
| 1890 | 5,604 | 49.0% | |
| 1900 | 6,564 | 17.1% | |
| 1910 | 10,453 | 59.2% | |
| 1920 | 10,928 | 4.5% | |
| 1930 | 11,718 | 7.2% | |
| 1940 | 11,577 | −1.2% | |
| 1950 | 11,927 | 3.0% | |
| 1960 | 13,588 | 13.9% | |
| 1970 | 14,217 | 4.6% | |
| 1980 | 14,626 | 2.9% | |
| 1990 | 13,922 | −4.8% | |
| 2000 | 15,288 | 9.8% | |
| 2010 | 14,704 | −3.8% | |
| 2020 | 13,242 | −9.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2020, about 13,242 people lived in Canton. This number was a bit lower than in 2010.
Who Lives in Canton?
- There were about 5,154 households in the city.
- About 23.7% of these households had children under 18 living with them.
- Many households were married couples living together.
- The average age of people in Canton was about 44 years old.
- About 16.4% of the population was under 18 years old.
- About 21.3% of the population was 65 years old or older.
Notable People from Canton
Many interesting people have come from Canton, Illinois. Here are a few:
- Granville Barrere (1829–1889), a U.S. Representative from Illinois.
- Ethan Blackaby (born 1940), a professional baseball player.
- William "Bill" Cook (1931–2011), a successful businessman who founded Cook Group.
- Charles Duryea (1861–1938), one of the first people to make automobiles.
- Elizabeth Magie (1866–1948), who invented "The Landlord's Game," which later became the popular board game Monopoly.
- Steven R. Nagel (1946–2014), an astronaut.
- Ian Wolfe (1896–1992), a well-known television and movie actor.
See also
In Spanish: Canton (Illinois) para niños
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Canton, Illinois Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.