Editing Canton, Georgia (section)

==History==
Located in the foothills of the [[Blue Ridge Mountains]], the site where Canton would be founded lay in the heart of the original [[Cherokee Nation (1794–1907)|Cherokee Nation]]. During the first 100 years of Georgia's history, Northwest Georgia was generally considered "Indian Country" and was bypassed by settlers going West. Georgia reached an agreement with the federal government in 1802 shortly after the Revolutionary War to relinquish its Western Territory (it claimed the Pacific Ocean as its western boundary) in exchange for the removal of all Indians within its boundaries. Although other tribes had been removed, the Cherokee remained. Since this was the heartland of the Cherokee Nation, the state and nation were reluctant to disturb them. But following the [[Georgia Gold Rush]] in 1829, European-American settlers ignored the Indian problems and began to move into the area north of [[Carrollton, Georgia|Carrollton]] and west of the [[Chattahoochee River]] and named it Cherokee.

Many members of the Cherokee Nation moved west in 1829, but the majority stayed until [[Indian Removal|removed by federal troops]] sent into the area during the summer of 1838. The remaining Cherokee were gathered and held in forts until the removal could be completed. Present-day Cherokee County had the largest and most southerly of these forts, Fort Buffington, which stood {{convert|6|mi|0}} east of Canton. Today nothing stands to identify its timber structure, but the speculated 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 Cherokee at Fort Buffington were marched off to join other groups on the infamous "[[Trail of Tears]]," a lengthy march in worsening winter weather to [[Indian Territory]] west of the Mississippi River.

The new settlers chose a site for a permanent county seat and courthouse in 1833, naming it "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 {{not a typo|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.

During the American Civil War, Canton, which had a population of about 200, was burned between November 1 and 5, 1864, by the [[Union Army]] under the command of Maj. Gen. [[William T. Sherman]]. Canton was destroyed by a foraging party of the Ohio 5th Cavalry under the command of Major Thomas T. Heath. At the time the Ohio 5th Cavalry was headquartered in [[Cartersville, Georgia|Cartersville]].<ref>{{cite book| last=Hewitt| first=Janet| title=Supplement to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies| publisher=Broadfoot| location=Part II, Record of Events, Volume 49, Serial No. 61|pages=766}}</ref> The written order for destruction was given on October 30, 1864, by Brig. General John E. Smith.<ref>{{cite book| last=United States| first=Government| title=Official Record of the Rebellion| publisher=US Government| location=Series 1, Volume XXXIX, Part 2| pages=553}}</ref> Union troops were ordered to burn the town because of Confederate guerrilla attacks coming from Canton and directed against the [[Western and Atlantic Railroad]] near the town of [[Cassville, Georgia|Cassville]]. The railroad was a vital supply line for the Union Army from the captured city of [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]], to newly captured [[Atlanta]]. The Union troops identified the Canton home of Governor [[Joseph E. Brown]] for destruction. The same Union party destroyed Cassville, the county seat of neighboring [[Bartow County, Georgia|Bartow County]], on November 5, 1864, as it has also been a base of guerrilla actions. Cassville never rebuilt, but Canton survived to prosper, as it was the county seat.<ref>''The Heritage of Cherokee County Georgia 1831–1998''</ref>

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. The city of Canton remains the county seat.

Cherokee Poultry, founded by T.B.Bradshaw was built on Univeter Road in 1955; later sold to Central Soya in 1962. The Canton Cotton Mills, which produced the famous "Canton Denim", closed in 1981. Since then, Canton has grown as the suburbs of Atlanta have expanded northward, and is currently experiencing its period of greatest population growth, which nearly tripled between 2000 and 2010.