Geography

Canton is located at 40°48'18" North, 81°22'33" West (40.804958, -81.375792)Template:GR.

Canton is bordered by Plain Township and North Canton to the north, Meyers Lake and Perry Township to the west, Canton Township to the South, and Nimishillen Township and Osnaburg Township to the east.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 53.3 km² (20.6 mi²). 53.2 km² (20.5 mi²) of it is land and 0.05% is water.

History

Canton officially became a village in 1805 and a city in 1854. Bezaleel Wells, the surveyor who divided the land of the town, named it after Canton (now Guangzhou), China. The name was a memorial to a trader named John O'Donnell, whom Wells admired. O'Donnell had named his Maryland plantation after the Chinese city, as he had been the first person to transport goods from there to Baltimore.

Economy

The Canton area's economy is primarily industrial, with a significant agricultural segment. The city is home to the Timken Company, a major manufacturer of tapered roller bearings and specialty steel. Other companies that have significant operations are the Hoover Company (vacuums and floor cleaners), the Belden Brick Company (brick and masonry producer), and Diebold (ATMs, electronic voting devices, and bank vaults). LTV Steel (formerly Republic Steel) had historically been large employer, until its bankruptcy in 2000. Poultry production and dairy farming are also important segments of its economy.

However, like many industrial areas of the United States, employment in the manufacturing sector is in a state of long-term decline. The area is undergoing a transition to a retail- and service-based economy. In 2004 Timken Company proposed closing some of their factories in the Canton area, striking a blow to the economy and a bigger blow to city image and pride.

Demographics

As of the census Template:GR of 2000, there are 80,806 people, 32,489 households, and 19,785 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,518.2/km² (3,933.0/mi²). There are 35,502 housing units at an average density of 667.0/km² (1,728.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 74.45% White, 21.04% African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.61% from other races, and 3.06% from two or more races. 1.24% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 32,489 households out of which 30.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.1% are married couples living together, 19.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% are non-families. 33.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 12.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.39 and the average family size is 3.04.

In the city the population is spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 81.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $28,730, and the median income for a family is $35,680. Males have a median income of $30,628 versus $21,581 for females. The per capita income for the city is $15,544. 19.2% of the population and 15.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 27.4% of those under the age of 18 and 11.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Due to Canton’s diverse demographic, many pollsters used Canton as a microcosm of the country as a whole. President George W. Bush visited Canton on a number of occasions, as well as Democratic Presidential Nominee and Massachusetts Senator John Kerry in a effort to win Ohio, a vital state in the 2004 Election.

Media

Print

Canton is served by one Newspaper. The Canton Repository

Television

Canton, Like Akron to the North is lumped into the Cleveland Television Market However, Due to It's Proximity to Youngstown anyone with a decent antenna can receive stations from that area.

There are also 3 Television stations that broadcast From Canton

Channel 17: WDLI - (TBN) - Canton
Channel 52: WIVM-LP - (A1) - Canton
Channel 67: WOAC - (SAH) - Canton

Radio

AM

900: WCER, (Melodynamic Broadcasting Corporation, Christian Talk) - Canton
1060: WILB, (Living Bread Radio Inc., Catholic) - Canton,
1480: WHBC, (NextMedia Group, AC/News/Talk) - Canton
1520: WINW, (Unknown, Black Gospel) - Canton

FM

92.5: WZKL, (Unknown, Hot AC) "Q92" - Alliance(Canton Market)
94.1: WHBC-FM, (NextMedia Group, Adult Contemporary) "Mix 94.1" - Canton
95.9: WNPQ, (Tuscarawas Broadcasting Co., Contemporary Christian), New Philadelphia (Canton market)
98.1: WKDD, (Clear Channel Communications, Hot AC) - Canton
106.9: WRQK, (Cumulus, Hard Rock) "Rock 107" - Canton

Famous People from Canton

Mother Angelica, foundress of the Eternal Word Television Network
Singer Macy Gray (born Natalie McIntyre)
Newspaper editor Don Mellett
U.S. President William McKinley
Musician Marilyn Manson (born Brian Warner)
Baseball player Thurman Munson
American football player Dan Dierdorf
Pop punk band Relient K
Soul group The O'Jays
The Tonight Show host Jack Paar
Composer Frank De Vol
Actress Peggy Ann Garner
Actress Jean Peters
Musician and bandleader Enoch Light
Musician Boz Scaggs
Television producer and screenwriter Brannon Braga
Playboy Playmate Nicole Wood
Singer Jeff Timmons, of 98 Degrees
Pool player Don Willis

Sports

There is an intense High School Football rivalry Between the Canton McKinley High School Bulldogs and the Massillon Washington High School Tigers which is now in it's 202nd year

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is located in Canton. The American Professional Football Association, the forerunner of the NFL, was founded in a Canton car dealership on September 17, 1920.

Every summer, Canton holds the Pro Football Hall of Fame Festival, which includes a (hot air) balloon festival, the Ribs Burn-off, the Hoover Pro Football Hall of Fame Grande Parade, and culminates in the enshrinement of the new inductees and then the Hall of Fame Game on the following Monday night between the AFC and the NFC at Fawcett Stadium.

Canton was home of the Canton Coyotes, a minor league baseball team which has since moved to Columbia, Missouri and has been renamed the Mid-Missouri Mavericks.

External links

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