Canton, Texas
Serving as the home of the world-famous First Monday Trade Days, Canton is a city located in the US state of Texas. As such, the city has become a hub of activity for Van Zandt County and the wider East Texas region.
Geography Of Canton
Canton City is situated in East Texas and serves as the county seat for Van Zandt County. Located on Texas Highways 19 and 64 and Interstate Highway I-20, the city lies between Shreveport to the east and Dallas to the west. Moreover, Canton is located 40 miles west of Tyler and has the geographic coordinates of 32.3313°N and 95.8667°W (32.3313, -95.8667). The city has a total area of 5.6 square miles, which can be further split into 5.2 square miles of land area ad 0.4 square miles of water area.
Climate Of Canton
Canton experiences hot and humid summers that last for 3.8 months. The summer season commences on May 25 and ends on September 18, recording an average daily high of 81°F. July is the city's hottest month, given its average high of 88°F and average low of 69°F. On the other hand, Canton experiences short winters that are particularly wet. This 2.9-month winter season ranges from November 29 to February 25 and features an average temperature below 59°F. Canton's coldest month is January since it records an average low of 35°F and an average high of 52°F. The city records an average of 45 inches of rainfall with an average of 91.8 rainy days annually. Furthermore, the city has a 6.3-day snowy period from January 16 to January 22, with an average snowfall of 1.0 inches. According to various tourism scores, the city is best visited from mid-May to mid-June or mid-August to early October to experience its warm-weather activities.
Brief History Of Canton
The region Canton is currently situated in was first surveyed in 1840, although no attempt for its settlement occurred until 1850. Thus, early settlers moving from Old Canton of Smith County named the new settlement. At this time, Rains and Wood counties were separate from Van Zandt County. Eventually, Van Zandt County became known as the "Free State of Van Zandt" after a mass meeting of the county residents protested the state government's separatist actions. Another version of the story is that Van Zandt County was carved out of Henderson County and created free of any debt, which led to its title as a "free state." The city of Canton was not incorporated up until its first elected mayor and alderman in 1919.
Population And Economy Of Canton
As of the most recent US Census, Canton had a 2020 population of 3,942 individuals. This thereby makes it the 427th largest city in Texas. Given its 2010 population of 3,581 individuals, the population has increased by 10.08% and continues to increase at an annual rate of 0.69%. The city has a population density of 660 individuals per square mile. In terms of ethnic demographics, it is predominantly White, with approximately 92.93% of the total population belonging to this group. The remaining ethnic groups within the city's population include Black or African American individuals at 2.84%, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander at 0.97%, other races at 0.79%, and two or more races at 2.47%. Moreover, Canton's median age is 40.4 years, with the median female age at 45.7 years and the median male age at 38.4 years.
The city has a median house value of USD 111,700 and a median monthly rental cost of USD 1,052. To add, Canton has an average household income of USD 69,480 and a poverty rate of 11.6%. Males tend to have an income 1.4 times higher than the average female income of USD 49,245. By 2019, the city's economy had employed 1,380 people. The largest industries were retail trade with 209 people, administrative and support and waste management services with 201 people, and health care and social assistance with 148 people. As for Canton's highest paying industries, these are agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting with an average of USD 88,352, quarrying and oil and gas extraction with an average of USD 88,352, and healthcare and social assistance with an average of USD 66,019.
Tourist Attractions In Canton
Canton Plaza Museum
Operating as a private, non-profit museum, the Canton Plaza Museum contains Texas' largest bell collections, a Kennedy collection of Indian models and artifacts, and a First Monday Museum. The museum has a unique location, as it is housed within the old Canton Plaza Theater.
First Monday Trade Days
The world-famous First Monday Trade Days is a flea market held in Canton every month. As the oldest and largest continually operating flea market in the US, the First Monday Trade Day is one of the area's most popular events. In fact, the flea market may be frequented by up to 100,000 people on a single weekend, depending on the time of year. The market is held before the first Monday of each month from Thursday through Sunday. Situated on hundreds of acres and with more than 700,000 square feet of shopping space, the flea market can accommodate up to 6,000 vendors. People from all across Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas frequent the fair to purchase furnishings, home décor, clothing, antiques, jewelry, crafts, collectibles, and gifts. As a result, the First Monday Trade Days have resulted in Canton becoming one of the region's most popular shopping destinations for visitors from various metropolitan areas.
Mill Creek Reservoir
Often cited as one of East Texas' best-kept fishing secrets, Mill Creek Reservoir includes a variety of fish populations such as bream, catfish, and crappie. Furthermore, the reservoir has produced some of the biggest largemouth bass individuals on record, with the 10th largest bass ever caught in Texas originating from the Mill Creek Reservoir.
