What Canton is actually like
Canton was settled in 1833 on former Cherokee Nation land, briefly called Cherokee Court House and then Etowah before residents renamed it Canton in 1834 — after Canton, China — hoping to build a silk-manufacturing center to rival it. The silk industry never took hold, but the town became a major Southern textile hub instead: Canton Cotton Mills grew into one of the largest mills in the South and produced the well-known "Canton Denim" fabric before closing in 1981. Union forces burned much of the town in early November 1864, but it was rebuilt and kept growing as the county seat.
Canton's population has surged from 7,709 at the 2000 census to 32,973 in 2020, as it's shifted from mill town to Atlanta-exurb suburb. Downtown still centers on the historic Canton Theatre, and Heritage Park, a 30-acre park with trails and an amphitheater that opened in 2004, sits along the Etowah River Greenway. Canton's own local historic district, overseen by a city Historic Preservation Commission, was expanded in November 2024 to stretch further along East Main Street and Brown Street — a reminder to check whether a specific address falls inside it before assuming exterior renovations are unregulated.
Listings in Canton
Getting around
Canton falls outside MARTA's service area entirely — no rail or bus service reaches it. Local transit is handled by Cherokee Area Transit Service (CATS), the county's own bus and microtransit system, but it doesn't provide wide coverage, so most residents rely on cars via I-575.
Canton FAQ
Is Canton GA part of Atlanta?
No — it's its own city and the county seat of Cherokee County, about 40 miles north of downtown Atlanta via I-575 and I-75.
Does Canton have MARTA?
No — Canton and all of Cherokee County fall outside MARTA's service area. Local Cherokee Area Transit Service (CATS) buses run instead, but most residents drive.
How did Canton, Georgia get its name?
Settlers renamed the town Canton in 1834, hoping to build it into a silk-production center to rival Canton, China. The silk industry never took off, but the town became a major Southern textile hub instead, known for "Canton Denim."