Nestled within Southeastern Cherokee County between Atlanta and the Blue Ridge Mountains, Canton, Georgia is a booming business hub filled with a plethora of shopping destinations, community parks and a top-ranked school system. The City of Canton is even considered one of the best places to live in Georgia, according to Niche.com. As a home builder in the area, The Providence Group is honored to build upon the extraordinary lifestyle Canton offers.
Serving as the county seat, Canton is a vibrant community with foothill views set along the banks of the Etowah River. Known for its agricultural contributions, Canton is an idyllic place to call home without sacrificing convenience to major destinations.
Canton once laid at the core of the Cherokee nation. When the Georgian gold rush began the Cherokee were increasingly pressured by European settlers to surrender their land to migrants. While the invested efforts to remove the Cherokee from Georgia began in the early 1830s, the Cherokee in and around the area of present day Canton remained until 1838 when the United States Army congregated the Cherokees in Fort Buffington. After the removal of the Cherokee, Settlers founded the town and originally named it Cherokee Courthouse in 1832. The name was then changed to Etowah and the site was made the county seat in 1833. The name changed to Canton in 1834, which was done in homage to the Chinese city of Guangzhou. The settlers of the town hoped to make it the center of silk production in Georgia, and as such chose the English name for the Chinese city well known for its own silk industry.
During the Antebellum, African Slaves accounted for circa 9% of the county’s population. At the end of the American Civil War, Canton was burned by the Ohio 5th Cavalry of the United States Army in early November 1865. In the early 20th century, Canton became renowned for its cotton mills, as well as its production of Canton Denim.
As a nod to its historic roots, the city recently reinvested in its downtown area, restoring the Cherokee Arts Center building and redesigning the Historic Canton Theatre on Main Street, which reopened in 2000 in a dedication ceremony. Today, Canton is attracting new residents and industries including film. In fact, Marvel’s “Hawkeye” is currently filming at the historic Jones Building in downtown Canton, according to a Cherokee Tribune article.
Canton residents also enjoy plenty of community-driven events including farmers markets, fun runs, festivals and more. Additionally, Canton is convenient to a number of major shopping options including The Outlet Shoppes at Atlanta in Woodstock and recreation at Lake Allatoona and community parks including Boling Park, Brown Park, Etowah River Park and Sweetwater Park on Lake Allatoona, to name a few.