Editing Canton, Texas (section)

== History ==

{{More citations needed section|date=March 2024}}
Canton was surveyed as early as 1840 by a company of men under Dr. W. P. King. The community stands on the original survey of Jesse Stockwell, an early settler in the area. No settlement was made until 1850, when the town was laid out and named by settlers moving from Old Canton in [[Smith County, Texas]]. The first district courthouse at Canton opened in 1850, and a post office, the county's fourth, was established in that year.

When the [[Texas and Pacific Railway]] was built across the county in 1872, it missed Canton by {{convert|10|mi|km|0}}, and the citizens of [[Wills Point]] persuaded county officials to move the county seat there. In the resulting dispute in 1877, armed residents of Canton went to Wills Point to recover the records, and the county judge wired [[Governor of Texas|Governor]] [[Richard B. Hubbard]] for aid. The [[Texas Supreme Court]] finally decided in favor of Canton. Unwilling to use the railroad at Wills Point, Canton businessmen established [[Edgewood, Texas|Edgewood]], {{convert|10|mi|km|abbr=on|0}} to the northwest of town, and built an extension to the railroad at a siding formerly called Stevenson.

Property for the town's first school, the Canton Academy, was acquired in 1853. Sid S. Johnson began publication of the ''Canton Weekly Times,'' the county's first newspaper, in 1860. A Grange was founded in 1876.  By 1890, Canton had a population of 421, flour mills, sawmills, cotton gins, and a bank. Brick buildings were under construction by 1892, and a new brick courthouse was completed in 1894. Iron ore and anthracite coal were discovered in 1887 and 1891. By 1896, the town reached a population high of 800 and had several churches, a steam gristmill and gin, two weekly newspapers, three general stores, and two hotels, but the population had fallen back to 421 by 1904.

Canton was incorporated in 1919, and elected a mayor and aldermen. Despite the [[Great Depression]], development of the Van oilfield after 1929 brought further expansion.  A [[Public Works Administration]] project in the 1930s had the completion of a new courthouse. In 1933, area schools registered 500 white and 28 black students. The population reached 715 in 1940, but dwindled again after 1949. In the 1950s, local business included a sweet-potato curing plant, an ice factory, a concrete-tile factory, lumberyards, and a cotton gin. Expansion of the Canton city limits doubled its territory in the 1960s. In 1970, the community had a municipal lake with recreational facilities, seven churches, a school, a bank, a library, a newspaper, and 86 businesses. The population doubled between 1960 and 1970 from roughly 1,000 to 2,000, and reached nearly 3,000 by 1990. The population was 3,292 in 2000. However, when the city council decided to recount the population, they found that the town had 5,100 residents instead of the previous census total of 3,292.

Canton is known for its [[First Monday Trade Days]]. According to various sources, the tradition began with district court meetings held on the first Monday of each month, or with the monthly visit of neighbors during the days of the [[Confederate States of America]].<ref>{{cite news |work=[[The Dallas Morning News]] |title=Trades day tradition a vestige of frontier; 'First Monday' at Canton predates Civil War |date=1990-05-13 |first=A.C. |last=Greene}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |work=San Antonio Express-News |title=Make a weekend away at First Monday Trade Days |date=1995-12-24 |first=Ede |last=Day}}</ref> The custom began with the swapping of surplus stock by barter and grew to include casual bargaining for or swapping of dogs, antiques, junk, and donkeys on a {{convert|30|acre|m2|adj=on}} grounds. It is so popular that Canton goes from a town of 5,100 to a town of over 30,000 during each First Monday weekend, making it the largest flea market in the world.<ref>{{cite news |work=Austin American-Statesman |title=Bed, bass and beyond |date=2004-05-30 |first=Janet |last=Wilson}}</ref> In the past, due to the success of First Monday, the city of Canton had no property tax<ref>{{cite news |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=The call of Canton: Texas town offers a super shopping adventure |date=2004-11-29 |first=Mary Ellen |last=Botter |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-7690174_ITM}}</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=November 2014}}. However, as of 2006, that is no longer the case.

Canton also holds the Van Zandt County Fair and Rodeo and an Annual Bluegrass Festival, which takes place in August. Between 2003 and 2007, Canton was the host community for the United States Equestrian Drill Championship (Super Ride), which showcases top color guard and mounted drill teams from throughout the country.{{Citation needed|date=April 2017}}

On [[Tornado outbreak and floods of April 28 – May 1, 2017|April 29, 2017]], the city and county sustained severe damage from four [[tornadoes]]. One of these tornadoes was rated EF4, making it one of the two strongest tornadoes of the year. Reports of four fatalities and dozens of injured prompted opening of displacement shelters as a disaster declaration was made for Van Zandt County.  Texas Governor [[Greg Abbott]] ordered state resources to the area to offer assistance to local officials.<ref name="Apr 2017 Tornado NPR">{{cite web|author1=Miles Parks|author2=James Doubek|title=Dozens Hospitalized, Several Killed As Tornadoes, Storms Hit The South And Midwest|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/04/30/526246608/dozens-hospitalized-several-killed-as-tornadoes-hit-east-texas|website=NPR|access-date=30 April 2017|language=en|date=30 April 2017|quote=A tornado has injured dozens and killed at least five people in Canton, a small city in the east of Texas Saturday.}}</ref><ref name="Apr 2017 Tornado">{{cite web|author1=Jeff Anastasio|author2=Hannah Davis|title=National Weather Service: 4 tornadoes touch down in East Texas|url=http://www.wfaa.com/weather/severe-weather-threat-moves-east-of-dallas/434616305|website=WFAA-TV|access-date=30 April 2017|language=en|date=30 April 2017|quote=Significant tornado damage was reported in the Canton, Texas area which is about 60 miles east of the metro area. The [[National Weather Service]] confirms four tornadoes struck Eustace, Caney City, and Canton in Northeast Texas. Widespread damage has been reported across a large area of Van Zandt County. }}</ref>

On [[Tornado outbreak sequence of May 2019|May 29, 2019]], the city and county sustained extensive damage from a tornado that struck the downtown area, near First Monday Trade Days. No deaths or injuries occurred, but several houses and local businesses were severely damaged or destroyed. The tornado struck the intersection of Texas State Highways 19 and 64. <!--The strength of the tornado is  yet TBD. As of April 30, 2017, this reference is still being updated by the publisher. It has not been indexed by the Internet Archive, so there may be inaccuracies due to the currently unfolding events. -->