Canton (pop. 70,872; met. area pop. 401,574) is an industrial and trading center in northeastern Ohio. The city lies about 60 miles (97 kilometers) south of Cleveland.
The Canton metropolitan area has hundreds of manufacturing firms. They produce alloy and specialty steel, bearings, castings, hand tools, meats and other processed foods, plastic goods, and a variety of other products. Health care facilities employ many people.
Canton lies in a shrinking agricultural area. Much of the surrounding farmland has been developed for commercial and residential use. Dairying is the main farm industry. Pascal celery and other vegetables also flourish there. In addition, the region has important deposits of bituminous coal, clay, and limestone.
Canton’s chief tourist attractions are the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the McKinley National Memorial. The annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival in July and August includes a ceremony honoring new Hall of Fame members and the first preseason game of the National Football League (see Pro Football Hall of Fame ). The McKinley monument honors United States President William McKinley. He and his wife lived in Canton and are buried at the memorial. Other attractions include the William McKinley Presidential Library & Museum and the First Ladies National Historic Site (see First Ladies National Historic Site ).
The Canton area is the home of Malone University, Walsh University, and a campus of Kent State University. Canton’s Cultural Center for the Arts houses the Canton Museum of Art and hosts performances of Canton’s ballet, choral, drama, and symphony companies.
Canton was founded in 1805 and became the seat of Stark County in 1809. It was incorporated as a village in 1822 and became a city in 1854. Canton has a mayor-council form of government.
