Canton is an incorporated
town
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares an ori ...
in
St. Lawrence County,
New York. The population was 11,638 at the time of the 2020 census. The town contains two
villages
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...
: one also named
Canton, the other named
Rensselaer Falls. The town is named after the great port of Canton (now named
Guangzhou
Guangzhou (, ; ; or ; ), also known as Canton () and alternatively romanized as Kwongchow or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Located on the Pearl River about north-northwest of Hong Kon ...
) in China. Canton is the home of
St. Lawrence University and the
State University of New York at Canton. The Canton Central School District is based in the village of Canton.
History
![Wea01363 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Wea01363_-_Flickr_-_NOAA_Photo_Library_%28cropped%29.jpg)
Humans have been present in this region of New York since the Paleo-Indian period which is from about 15,000-7,000 BC. Iroquoian peoples arrived between 1,200 and 4,000 years ago, and both the Mohawk and the Oneida consider the Adirondacks to be part of their territory. When white settlers began to arrive, the area was part of the Mohawk Nation, which was part of the Iroquois Confederacy. The Mohawks are known as Kanienkehaka, or "the people of the flint," and they were considered the keepers of the Eastern door for this edge of Haudenosaunee territory. The first settler arrived in 1800. The town was organized/incorporated on May 14, 1805, from part of the town of
Lisbon. The name Canton was supposedly selected due to contemporary interests in the China trade. Canton was one of the original ten towns of the county. In 1845, the community of Canton was
incorporated as a village. The
Brick Chapel Church and Cemetery was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
in 2005.
Geography
After the War of 1812, the sovereign territory known as Akwesasne was bisected in two when the United States and Great Britain drew a line on a map, creating today's northern border between New York state and Canada. Now the Akwesasne Mohawk reservation sits in both countries, with borders of its own.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...
, the town has a total area of 105.9square miles, of which 104.8 square miles (27are land and 1.1 are water.
![Canton, N](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Canton%2C_N.Y._LOC_75693034.jpg)
The
Grasse River
The Grasse River or Grass River (per 1905 decision of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names) is a river in northern New York, in the United States. The river mainly flows northeast from the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains into the St. Lawren ...
flows northward through the centre of St. Lawrence County, and the
Oswegatchie River
The Oswegatchie River ( moh, Kaniatarahòn:tsi) is a river in northern New York that flows from the Adirondack Mountains north to the Saint Lawrence River. The Oswegatchie River begins at Partlow Lake in Hamilton County, New York. The river co ...
flows through the northwest corner.
U.S. Route 11 is a northeast–southwest highway, which intersects
New York State Route 68
New York State Route 68 (NY 68) is an east–west state highway located entirely within St. Lawrence County in the North Country of New York in the United States. The western terminus is at an intersection with NY 37 in Oswe ...
and
New York State Route 310
New York State Route 310 (NY 310) is a north–south state highway located entirely within St. Lawrence County in the North Country of the U.S. state of New York. The southern terminus is at U.S. Route 11 (US 11) and N ...
at Canton village.
Climate
Demographics
, the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
reported that there were 10,334 people, 3,198 households, and 2,011 families residing in the town. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...
was 98.6 people per square mile (38.1/km
2). There were 3,515 housing units at an average density of 33.5 per square mile (12.9/km
2). 91.81%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 4.49%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...
or
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.54%
Native American, 0.99%
Asian, 1.02% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races.
Hispanic or Latino
''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, for example, by the United States ...
of any race were 1.92% of the population. There were 3,198 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were
married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.9% under the age of 18, 29.6% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $36,875, and the median income for a family was $43,819. Males had a median income of $33,993 versus $25,989 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the town was $14,896. About 9.2% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 13.6% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
U.S. Route 11 runs through Canton and is served by
Adirondack Trailways
Trailways of New York is one of the largest privately held transportation companies based in New York State. It employs over 450 people and carries passengers more than 80 million miles annually.
TrailwaysNY, as it is known, operates over 150 tr ...
, with stops in
Gouverneur,
Watertown Watertown may refer to:
Places in China
In China, a water town is a type of ancient scenic town known for its waterways.
Places in the United States
*Watertown, Connecticut, a New England town
**Watertown (CDP), Connecticut, the central village ...
and
Syracuse to the west, and
Potsdam
Potsdam () is the capital and, with around 183,000 inhabitants, largest city of the German state of Brandenburg. It is part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. Potsdam sits on the River Havel, a tributary of the Elbe, downstream o ...
,
Malone
Malone is an Irish surname. From the Irish "''Mael Eóin''", the name means a servant or a disciple of Saint John.
People
* Gilla Críst Ua Máel Eóin (died 1127), historian and Abbot of Clonmacnoise, Ó Maoil Eoin
* Adrian Malone (1937–2 ...
and
Rouses Point to the east. To the north on
New York State Route 68
New York State Route 68 (NY 68) is an east–west state highway located entirely within St. Lawrence County in the North Country of New York in the United States. The western terminus is at an intersection with NY 37 in Oswe ...
,
Ogdensburg borders Canada at the
Johnstown crossing, which in turn is an hour from the capital,
Ottawa.
The
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad was a railroad primarily operating in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The railroad primarily connected greater New York and Boston in the east with Chicago and St. Louis in the Mid ...
's ''
St. Lawrence Division'' runs through the town. Until 1964 the New York Central operated passenger trains from
Massena, through the town, to
Watertown Watertown may refer to:
Places in China
In China, a water town is a type of ancient scenic town known for its waterways.
Places in the United States
*Watertown, Connecticut, a New England town
**Watertown (CDP), Connecticut, the central village ...
, and to
Syracuse to meet up with the NYC mainline.
Communities and locations in the town
*
Crary Mills – A
hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
southwest of Canton village.
*Brick Chapel – A hamlet south of Canton village on County Road 27.
*
Canton – A village centrally located in the town by the Grasse River and US-11.
*Eddy – A hamlet in the southwestern corner of the town on US-11.
*
Morley Morley may refer to:
Places England
* Morley, Norfolk, a civil parish
* Morley, Derbyshire, a civil parish
* Morley, Cheshire, a village
* Morley, County Durham, a village
* Morley, West Yorkshire, a suburban town of Leeds and civil parish
* M ...
– A hamlet on the northern town line by the Grasse River at the intersection of County Roads 14 and 27. The community was originally known as "Long Rapids."
*Pyrites – A hamlet in the southwestern corner of the town on US-11.
*
Rensselaer Falls – A village in the northwestern corner of the town on County Roads 14 and 15.
*
St. Lawrence University – A university in Canton village.
*
SUNY Canton – A state college northwest of Canton village.
*Upper and Lower Lakes State Wildlife Area
*Woodbridge Corners – A location NY-68 northwest of Canton village.
*St. Regis Mohawk Reservation
Notable people
*
Irving Bacheller
Addison Irving Bacheller (September 26, 1859 – February 24, 1950) was an American journalist and writer. He founded the first modern newspaper syndicate in the United States.
Birth and education
Born in Pierrepont, New York, Irving Bacheller ...
, writer and journalist
*
Charles Edward Bennett, Florida congressman, was born in Canton
*
Dan Brady, ice hockey player for
Boston University
Boston University (BU) is a Private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with ...
and
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior h ...
*
Greg Carvel
Gregory Joseph Carvel (born August 17, 1970) is an American former NCAA ice hockey player. He is currently the head coach for the UMass Minutemen of the Hockey East conference. Carvel has been a head coach at St Lawrence University and an assist ...
, UMass ice hockey head coach
*
Cynthia Eloise Cleveland
Cynthia Eloise Cleveland (August 13, 1845 – April 1932) was an American lawyer, politician, writer, and temperance worker. She was the first woman lawyer admitted to the bar in the Dakota Territory.
Early life
Cynthia Eloise Cleveland was born ...
, lawyer and writer, born in Canton
*
Theodore Conkey
Theodore Conkey (December 11, 1819March 17, 1880) was a Wisconsin pioneer, Union Army officer, and businessman. He was a member of the Wisconsin State Senate and the Wisconsin State Assembly.
Biography
Conkey was born in Canton, New York, son of ...
, Wisconsin politician
*
Jordan Greenway, NHL player for the
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at the Xcel Ener ...
*
A. Barton Hepburn
Alonzo Barton Hepburn (July 24, 1846 – January 25, 1922) was an American politician from New York, famed for being the Chairman of the New York State Legislature's eponymous Hepburn Committee of 1879 that investigated the operations of what b ...
, financier, philanthropist and U.S.
Comptroller of the Currency
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is an independent bureau within the United States Department of the Treasury that was established by the National Currency Act of 1863 and serves to charter, regulate, and supervise all nationa ...
*
Dave Jennings, professional American football player; played for St. Lawrence University
*
David O'Brien Martin, New York politician and attorney
*
Wade Megan
Wade Megan (born July 22, 1990) is an American former professional ice hockey center who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the St. Louis Blues and the Detroit Red Wings.
Playing career
Originally chosen by the Florida Panthers in ...
, ice hockey player
*
Frederic Remington
Frederic Sackrider Remington (October 4, 1861 – December 26, 1909) was an American painter, illustrator, sculptor, and writer who specialized in the genre of Western American Art. His works are known for depicting the Western United Stat ...
, artist
*
William Pierce Rogers,
United States Secretary of State
The United States secretary of state is a member of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States and the head of the U.S. Department of State. The office holder is one of the highest ranking members of the president's Ca ...
*
Matthew Skoller, Chicago blues harmonicist, singer, songwriter, and record producer
*
Hobart Stocking
Hobart M. Stocking (April 28, 1846 – August 6, 1920) was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.
Biography
Stocking was born in Canton, New York on April 28, 1846. He attended what was then Galesville University. During the American Civil W ...
(1846–1920), Wisconsin legislator
*
Silas Wright
Silas Wright Jr. (May 24, 1795 – August 27, 1847) was an American attorney and Democratic politician. A member of the Albany Regency, he served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, New York State Comptroller, United Stat ...
, New York State Governor
*
Waydown Wailers
Waydown Wailers are an American blues, rock, swamp rock, and Americana band composed of brothers Dave and Christian Parker, Michael (Scruffy) Scriminger, Joey Thomas, and Connor Pelkey. Their album, ''Backland Blues'' (2018), was well received a ...
References
External links
Canton town website Canton information and links
{{authority control
Towns in St. Lawrence County, New York