Canton

History

For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America. In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau. In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France. In 1803, most of the land for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre. From the 1820s to the 1870s, one of the most significant land routes in the United States was the Santa Fe Trail. It was located southeast of Canton. Two DAR markers were located on the trail near Canton, one at the Jones Cemetery east of Canton, and another south of Canton. The trail was active across McPherson County from 1821 to 1866. In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1867, McPherson County was established within the Kansas Territory, which included the land for modern day Canton. As early as 1875, city leaders of Marion held a meeting to consider a branch railroad from Florence. In 1878, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and parties from Marion and McPherson counties chartered the Marion and McPherson Railway Company. In 1879, a branch line was built from Florence to McPherson; in 1880 it was extended to Lyons and in 1881 was extended to Ellinwood. The line was leased and operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The line from Florence to Marion was abandoned in 1968. In 1992, the line from Marion to McPherson was sold to Central Kansas Railway. In 1993, after heavy flood damage, the line from Marion through Canton to McPherson…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  591
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  566
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  470
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  459
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  457
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  401
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  366
• Red-tailed Hawk

  Buteo jamaicensis (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  321

Largest nearby schools

• Canton-Galva Elementary
  Elementary · Galva · 204 students · 13.6:1 ratio
• Canton-Galva Jr./Sr. High
  High · Canton · 137 students · 12.5:1 ratio