Canton, Georgia

Official name	Canton, Georgia
Mayor	Gene Hobgood
City council member	Bob Rush
City council member	Patricia "Pat" Tanner
City council member	Bill Bryan
City council member	Jack Goodwin
City council member	Amelia Rose
City council member	John Beresford
Postal code type	ZIP codes
Postal code	30114, 30115, 30169
Area code	404, 678, 770
Blank name	FIPS code
Blank info	13-12988
Blank1 name	GNIS feature ID
Blank1 info	0331320
Website	(City Website)
Settlement type	City
Map caption	Location in Cherokee County in the state of Georgia
Coordinates region	US-GA
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision type1	State
Subdivision type2	County
Subdivision name	United States
Subdivision name1	Georgia
Subdivision name2	Cherokee
Leader title	Mayor
Leader name	Gene Hobgood (R)
Area total km2	36.9
Area land km2	36.9
Area water km2	0.0
Area total sq mi	14.3
Population as of	2007
Population total	21464
Timezone	EST
Utc offset	-5
Timezone dst	EDT
Utc offset dst	-4
Elevation ft	968
Coordinates display	inline,title
Coordinates type	region:US_type:city
Area land sq mi	14.3
Area water sq mi	0.0
Elevation m	291

Canton is a city in and the county seat of Cherokee County, Georgia, United States. The population was 9,000 at the 2000 census. In 2005, Canton was the fastest growing city in Georgia and the 5th fastest growing city (10,000 or more population) in the United States. The city had an estimated population of 21,464 in 2007.

Geography

Canton is located at (34.227307, −84.494727).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.3 square miles (36.9 km²). The city lies just north of Lebanon and south of Ball Ground.

Demographics

Households

Per the US Census Bureau, the 2008 population estimate for Canton, Georgia is 22,724. As of the 2000 census, there were 3,517 people, 2,702 households, and 650 families residing in the city. The population density was 540.5 people per square mile (208.7/km²). There were 2,879 housing units at an average density of 201.8/sq mi (78.0/km²).

There were 2,702 households out of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.23.

Ethnicity, age, and sex

The racial makeup of the city was 72.97% White, 5.56% African American, 0.91% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 12.87% from other races, 1.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race comprised 24.50% of the population.

In the city, the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 12.6% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 16.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years.

For every 100 females there were 101.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.1 males.

Income

The median income for a household in the city was $40,361, and the median income for a family was $48,906. Males had a median income of $26,579 versus $25,431 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,324. About 6.6% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.6% of those under age 18 and 17.4% of those age 65 or over.

History

Name and economic history

Once famous for its "Canton Denim," known worldwide for the high-quality denim produced by Canton Cotton Mills which closed in 1979, Canton is now enjoying the greatest economic boom in its history. The City of Canton has a rich heritage. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the site where Canton would be founded lay in the heart of the Cherokee Nation.

During the first hundred years of Georgia's history, Northwest Georgia was generally considered "Indian Country," and was bypassed by settlers going West. Georgia had made a treaty with the Federal Government in 1802 to relinquish its Western Territory for the removal of all Indians within its boundaries, and, although other tribes had been removed, little was ever done about the Cherokees. Since this was the heartland of the Cherokee Nation, the state and nation had avoided the handling of this delicate problem. Following the Georgia Gold Rush in 1829, settlers ignored the Indian problems and began to move into the area north of Carrollton and west of the Chattahoochee River-sixty-nine hundred miles-and named it Cherokee.

Many members of the Cherokee Nation moved west, but the majority stayed until removed by Federal Troops sent into the area during the summer of 1838. The remaining Cherokees were gathered and held in forts until the removal could be completed. Present-day Cherokee County had the largest and most southerly of these fort, Fort Buffington, which stood six miles (10 km) east of Canton. Today nothing stands to identify its timber structure, but the area is marked by a large piece of green Cherokee marble quarried near Holly Springs. By autumn of 1838, the federal troops had accomplished their mission and the Cherokees at Fort Buffington were marched off to join other groups on the infamous "Trail of Tears".

A permanent county seat and courthouse were chosen in 1833 and named Etowah. The name was changed to Cherokee Courthouse in 1833. In 1834 it was changed to Canton (pronounced cant'n), after the Chinese city of Guangzhou, which was then known in English as Canton (pronounced can tahn). The name was chosen because a group of citizens had dreams of making the Georgia town a center of the silk industry, which was concentrated in China at the time. Though Canton never became a significant silk center, it did become a successful manufacturing community.

Over the years, Canton evolved from unsettled territory to a prosperous mill town known the world over for its "Canton Denim." The original county of 1831 now includes 24 counties, and Cherokee County remains one of Georgia's largest counties with an area of . The City of Canton remains the county seat.

Historical information adapted from The Heritage of Cherokee County Georgia 1831–1998

City Council

The City of Canton is governed by a Mayor and six (6) Council Members, who are elected at large by city residents. The terms of office are for four (4) years.

For the election of Council Member, The City of Canton is divided into three (3) wards with two (2) Council Members serving from each ward.

Qualifications of Mayor and Council Members:

Must be 21 years of age Must be a registered City voter Shall be a resident of the ward they represent for six months prior to the election Shall be a resident of the City of Canton for one year prior to the election Shall continue to reside in the City of Canton during their term of office Whereas: All elected officials of the Mayor and Council are four (4) year term.

The Mayor and Council hold the monthly council meetings on the first and third Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m. All meetings of the Mayor and Council are held in the Council Chambers of City Hall located at 151 Elizabeth Street.

At any meeting, the mayor or mayor pro tem and three (3) of the council members shall constitute a quorum to transact business. It shall take a majority vote of the council members present to pass any measure. The mayor shall vote on all measures only when there is a tie of the council members.

The mayor shall be the chief executive of the City of Canton; shall preside at meetings of the mayor and council; shall see that all laws, ordinances, rules and regulations are faithfully enforced; shall see that all officers and employees shall faithfully discharge their duties; shall sign with the clerk of council any deed, lease, conveyance and contract that may be authorized and directed by the Mayor and Council.

Administration

The Administration Department of the City of Canton consists of the Mayor, City Council, City Manager, City Clerk and Administrative Secretaries. The office is located at Canton City Hall at 151 Elizabeth Street in Canton.

The City Manager is the Administrative Executive of the City of Canton and is responsible for overseeing daily operations of all City departments. The City Manager is appointed by the Mayor and City Council, the governing authority of the city, and is responsible for keeping the Mayor and Council informed on all issues. He also advises the council on the financial condition and needs of the City.

The City Clerk serves as the Clerk of Council and is responsible for the minutes and records of all meetings. The City Clerk is responsible for serving as custodian of all legal documents for the City.

Renovation

Many projects are underway in the city including new construction, renovation, and revitalization. Canton has received millions of dollars in grants for park and sidewalk improvements in the city. The city's public buses have established routes and carry thousands of passengers throughout the city from residential areas to downtown, shopping areas, the medical district, and job sites.

The Historic Canton Theatre on Main Street features plays and other special entertainment events throughout the year, injecting new life into the downtown business district. Streets in the downtown area were recently improved, by the removal of parking spaces, as part of the "Streetscapes" program, bringing brick pavers to sidewalks, lamp posts, lush landscaping and intersection upgrades.

In May 2004, the city held a ribbon cutting ceremony for Heritage Park. Heritage Park is the first phase of the Etowah River Greenway. Heritage Park consists of approximately of passive use pedestrian and bike trails and a natural amphitheater. The city used to hold concerts and movies in Heritage Park throughout the summer free of charge to its residents.

The city, in partnership with the Metro Atlanta YMCA, constructed an $8 million community center on Waleska Street contiguous to Heritage Park. Now completed, the community center includes an indoor swimming pool, a gymnasium, wellness center, aerobics studio, childcare facilities and the Cherokee Sports Hall of Fame. Although voted in as a "free" community center, it was decided after completion that only members can use it for a fee.

Phase two of the Etowah River Greenway north of Heritage Park consists of active recreation fields for softball, baseball, tennis, and soccer. This phase involves approximately of property.

In June 2004, the Bluffs Parkway opened off Riverstone Boulevard. This parkway, funded by an $8 million grant from the Georgia Department of Transportation, bisects the Bluffs at Technology Park. The Park which is owned by Technology Park/Atlanta, Inc. will be home to 15,000 high-tech jobs when built out in 10 years. The Park will also include a satellite campus of Appalachian Tech to train employees of the companies locating there.

The Hickory Log Creek dam project was approved by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The construction and ownership of the Hickory Log Creek Raw Water Reservoir will be shared by the Cobb County / Marietta Water Authority and the City of Canton on a 75% and 25% respective basis and should be completed by December 2007. This water source will provide 44 million gallons of water per day and will be bordered by 15–25 acres of park land with picnic and other public areas.

In 2009, Canton opened the new renovation, the Canton Marketplace. It features a Super Target as well as a Kohls, Lowes, Best Buy, Dicks, and more. Restaurants and other shopping pleasures have been a major boom in Canton industry.

Communities

Buffington

Clayton

Gold Ridge

Keithsburg

Macedonia

Univeter

Subdivisions

Barrington Farms

Bradshaw Estates

Bradshaw Farms

Bridgemill

Brooke Park

Brookwood

Carrington Farms

Copper Creek

Cottonwood Creek

Creekside At Prominence

Curtis Farm

Deerfield Farms

Dogwood Farms

Diamond Ridge

Eagle Ridge

Falls at Mill Creek

Fieldstone

Forest Creek

Fox Hills

Governors Preserve

Governors Walk

Great Sky

Hampton Station

Harmony on the Lakes

Hidden Branches

Highland View (Cherokee County/Bartow County)

Hillcrest

Lakeside at Allatoona

Manor at Mill Creek

Middlebrooke

Mills Ridge

Mountain View

Orange Shoals

Pebble Brooke

Preserve At Holly Springs

River Brooke

River Green

Serenoa

Shoals At Arbor Hill

Silver Creek

Smithwick Crossing

Smythwick

The Springs

Village At Holly Mill

View At Holly Mill

Vose Village

Walden Crossing

Waverly Park

Wentworth

Whispering Hills

Woodmont

Education

Cherokee County School District

The Cherokee County School District holds grades pre-school to grade twelve, that consists of twenty-three elementary schools, six middle schools, and six high schools. The district has 1,766 full-time teachers and over 28,434 students.

Elementary Schools

Arnold Mill Elementary School

Avery Elementary School

Ball Ground Elementary School

Bascomb Elementary School

Boston Elementary School

Canton Elementary School- Situated on Marietta Hwy, next to Cherokee High School and across from Bruster's Ice Cream.

Carmel Elementary School

Chapman Intermediate School

Clayton Elementary School

Free Home Elementary School

Hasty Elementary School

Hickory Flat Elementary School

Holly Springs Elementary School

Joseph Knox Elementary School- Located in the River Green Neighborhood across from the Franklin Park Townhomes

Johnston Elementary School

Liberty Elementary School- Next to Freedom Middle School off of Bells Ferry Road

Little River Elementary School

Macedonia Elementary School

Mountain Road Elementary School

Oak Grove Elementary School

R. M. Moore Elementary School

Sixes Elementary School

Woodstock Elementary School

Middle Schools

Booth Middle School

Creekland Middle School

Dean Rusk Middle School

Freedom Middle School- Next to Liberty Elementary School on Bells Ferry Road

Teasley Middle School- Off of Knox Bridge Hwy near River Green

Woodstock Middle School

High Schools

Cherokee High School- Off of Marietta Hwy next to Canton Elementary School

Creekview High School

Etowah High School

Polaris High School

Sequoyah High School

Woodstock High School

Higher Education

Chattahoochee Technical College – Woodstock Campus

Transportation

The Cherokee County Airport (FAA LOC ID: 47A) is located adjacent to I-575 about six miles northeast of downtown Canton, GA.

A redevelopment project currently underway includes:

– an already completed 10,000 square foot terminal;

– the ongoing lengthening of the runway from its current 3,414 feet to 5,000 feet;

– a new parallel taxiway;

– instrument landing equipment;

– new hangars.

The new facilities will accommodate 200 hangared corporate aircraft and provide 100 tie-downs for smaller aircraft.

Notable residents

R&B; group B5 (band) lives in Canton. Canton was the hometown of Joseph E. Brown. In 1844, Brown served as headmaster at the academy in Canton, which began his lifelong devotion to public education. He was elected governor of Georgia in 1857 and later served as a United States Senator. Brown is the only person ever to have been elected governor of Georgia four times.

Popular culture

Josh Holloway, James "Sawyer" Ford of TV's "LOST" moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia when he was two. Josh Holloway attended Cherokee High School in Canton, Georgia. He developed an interest in movies at a very young age. He studied at the University of Georgia for a year, but left to pursue a career as a model.

Canton is also the home of rising country music singer Brandon Leonard. Leonard and his family moved to Canton in 1998. He attended Holly Springs Elementary School, Dean Rusk Middle School and then graduated from Sequoyah High School in 2007. He now studies at Kennesaw State University and still resides in Cherokee County in the town of Holly Springs.

On July 21, 2008, Stephen Colbert on The Colbert Report made a comment about John McCain making a campaign stop in Canton, Ohio, and "not the crappy Canton in Georgia." The comment resulted in a local uproar, with the Canton, Georgia, mayor insisting Colbert had never visited the town along with an invitation for him to do so. However, this began a running gag on the show in which he would apologize to one town and make several jokes at the expense of another town named Canton then repeat the cycle a week later. He went on to insult Canton, Kansas, that night (drawing the ire of Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius) followed by Canton, South Dakota, on August 5, 2008, and Canton, Texas, on August 12, 2008. On October 28, Colbert turned his attention back to Canton, Ohio after Barack Obama made a campaign stop there, forcing Colbert to find it "crappy".

Footnotes

External links

City of Canton Website

Cherokee County Ga News – The Cherokee Connection

Cherokee County Democratic Party

Cherokee County Republican Party

Libertarian Party of Cherokee & Pickens Counties

Cherokee Today

Cherokee County School District Website

Cherokee County Airport – FAA Master Record

Category:Cities in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Cherokee County, Georgia Category:County seats in Georgia (U.S. state)