Canton

History

The earliest known visitor to the area was Lewis P. Hyde, who first came to the area in 1866. The first actual settler was August Linderman. By 1868, there were 35 people living in Lincoln County. The residents named the community Canton, believing the location to be the exact opposite of Canton, China. By the summer of that year, a caravan of 180 Norwegian settlers crossed the Big Sioux River to make their home in Canton. In 1880, the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad crossed the Big Sioux River to reach Canton. The city still has an active rail freight service. The city has many historical homes and buildings dating back to the late 1800s. Some notable sites include The Kennedy Mansion on Dakota Street, as well as the Historical Society House built in 1886. Lincoln County Courthouse was built in 1889, and Canton Lutheran Church was built in 1908.

Geography

Canton is located along the Big Sioux River across from Beloit, Iowa. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Canton has been assigned the ZIP code 57013 and the FIPS place code 09500. Canton experiences a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa), which is characterized by hot, relatively humid summers and cold, dry winters, and is located in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 4b. The monthly daily average temperature ranges from in January to in July, while there are 15 days of + highs and 25 days with sub- lows annually. }} Canton is part of the Sioux Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area that consists of four counties, all of which are located in South Dakota: Lincoln, McCook, Minnehaha, and Turner. The estimated population of this MSA in 2008 was 232,930, an increase of over 24% from the 2000 census. According to recent estimates, Lincoln County, which Canton is the County Seat, is the ninth fastest-growing county (by percentage) in the United States. In addition to Canton, several cities and towns included in the metropolitan area are Sioux Falls, Brandon, Dell Rapids, Tea, Harrisburg, Worthing, Beresford, Lennox, Hartford, Crooks, Baltic, Montrose, Salem, Renner, Chancellor, Colton, Humboldt, Parker, Hurley, Garretson, Sherman, Corson, and Centerville. Newton Hills State Park, located six miles south of Canton, offers camping and picnicking, as well as horseback riding, nature trails and cross country skiing throughout the park. Canton hosts many recreation festivals and events. The summer starts with the Optimist Youth Days Carnival in June. An annual Car Show is held each year in the end of July along with other weekend festivities held in the park. The Big Sioux River Folk Festival in August…

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Lawrence Elementary - 02
  Elementary · Canton · 388 students · 12.9:1 ratio
• Canton High School - 01
  High · Canton · 283 students · 15.7:1 ratio
• Canton Middle School - 04
  Middle · Canton · 203 students · 13.5:1 ratio
• Worthing Elementary - 05
  Elementary · Worthing · 126 students · 18:1 ratio