Canton, New York

File:Wea01363 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library (cropped).jpg

Humans have been present in this region of New York since the Paleo-Indian period which is from about 15,000 to 7,000 BC. Iroquoian peoples arrived between 1,200 and 4,000 years ago, and both the Mohawk and the Oneida consider the Adirondacks to be part of their territory.{{cite web|title=Adirondacks: Native Americans. National Park Service, 2018|url=https://www.nps.gov/articles/adirondacks-native-americans.htm|website=Nps.gov|access-date=April 12, 2021}} When white settlers began to arrive, the area was part of the Mohawk Nation, which was part of the Iroquois Confederacy. The Mohawks are known as Kanienkehaka, or "the people of the flint," and they were considered the keepers of the Eastern door for this edge of Haudenosaunee territory.{{cite web|title=Native Heritage. Potsdam State University of New York, 2019|url=https://www.potsdam.edu/about/college-history/potsdam-stories/native-heritage|website=Potsdam.edu|access-date=April 12, 2021}} The first settler arrived in 1800. The town was organized/incorporated on May 14, 1805, from part of the town of Lisbon. The name Canton was supposedly {{Citation needed|date=June 2010}} selected due to contemporary interests in the China trade. Canton was one of the original ten towns of the county. In 1845, the community of Canton was incorporated as a village. The Brick Chapel Church and Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.{{NRISref|2009a}}

After the War of 1812, the sovereign territory known as Akwesasne was bisected in two when the United States and Great Britain drew a line on a map, creating today's northern border between New York state and Canada. Now the Akwesasne Mohawk reservation sits in both countries, with borders of its own.{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2017/10/28/560436303/at-u-s-canada-border-reservation-mohawks-say-they-face-discrimination|title=At U.S.-Canada Border Reservation, Mohawks Say They Face Discrimination|website=Npr.org|access-date=April 12, 2021}}

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 105.9square miles, of which 104.8 square miles (27 are land and 1.1 are water).

File:Canton, N.Y. LOC 75693034.jpg of Canton from 1885 with list of landmarks by L.R. Burleigh]]

The Grasse River flows northward through the centre of St. Lawrence County, and the Oswegatchie River flows through the northwest corner. U.S. Route 11 is a northeast–southwest highway, which intersects New York State Route 68 and New York State Route 310 at Canton village.

{{Weather box

|location = Canton 4 SE, 1991–2020 normals, 1893-2020 extremes: 448ft (137m)

|single line = Yes

|Jan record high F = 66

|Feb record high F = 65

|Mar record high F = 80

|Apr record high F = 89

|May record high F = 93

|Jun record high F = 95

|Jul record high F = 98

|Aug record high F = 99

|Sep record high F = 93

|Oct record high F = 87

|Nov record high F = 77

|Dec record high F = 70

|year record high F =

|Jan avg record high F = 53.3

|Feb avg record high F = 48.9

|Mar avg record high F = 61.3

|Apr avg record high F = 76.8

|May avg record high F = 83.1

|Jun avg record high F = 87.3

|Jul avg record high F = 88.6

|Aug avg record high F = 88.3

|Sep avg record high F = 85.0

|Oct avg record high F = 77.3

|Nov avg record high F = 66.4

|Dec avg record high F = 55.9

|year avg record high F = 90.7

|Jan high F = 26.9

|Feb high F = 29.9

|Mar high F = 38.9

|Apr high F = 53.3

|May high F = 66.7

|Jun high F = 75.2

|Jul high F = 79.6

|Aug high F = 78.0

|Sep high F = 70.8

|Oct high F = 57.8

|Nov high F = 45.3

|Dec high F = 33.5

|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 16.8

|Feb mean F = 19.1

|Mar mean F = 29.0

|Apr mean F = 42.9

|May mean F = 55.9

|Jun mean F = 64.9

|Jul mean F = 69.4

|Aug mean F = 67.3

|Sep mean F = 59.8

|Oct mean F = 48.0

|Nov mean F = 36.7

|Dec mean F = 24.8

|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 6.6

|Feb low F = 8.4

|Mar low F = 19.0

|Apr low F = 32.5

|May low F = 45.2

|Jun low F = 54.6

|Jul low F = 59.2

|Aug low F = 56.7

|Sep low F = 48.8

|Oct low F = 38.2

|Nov low F = 28.2

|Dec low F = 16.0

|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = -21.9

|Feb avg record low F = -16.8

|Mar avg record low F = -6.3

|Apr avg record low F = 17.6

|May avg record low F = 29.4

|Jun avg record low F = 39.2

|Jul avg record low F = 45.7

|Aug avg record low F = 41.3

|Sep avg record low F = 32.2

|Oct avg record low F = 22.4

|Nov avg record low F = 8.4

|Dec avg record low F = -8.6

|year avg record low F = -25.4

|Jan record low F = -41

|Feb record low F = -43

|Mar record low F = -30

|Apr record low F = -8

|May record low F = 21

|Jun record low F = 29

|Jul record low F = 34

|Aug record low F = 32

|Sep record low F = 22

|Oct record low F = 13

|Nov record low F = -15

|Dec record low F = -37

|year record low F =

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 2.23

|Feb precipitation inch = 1.99

|Mar precipitation inch = 2.29

|Apr precipitation inch = 3.05

|May precipitation inch = 3.15

|Jun precipitation inch = 3.82

|Jul precipitation inch = 3.92

|Aug precipitation inch = 3.41

|Sep precipitation inch = 3.94

|Oct precipitation inch = 4.85

|Nov precipitation inch = 2.91

|Dec precipitation inch = 2.63

|year precipitation inch =

|Jan snow inch = 18.90

|Feb snow inch = 17.50

|Mar snow inch = 12.50

|Apr snow inch = 3.50

|May snow inch = 0.00

|Jun snow inch = 0.00

|Jul snow inch = 0.00

|Aug snow inch = 0.00

|Sep snow inch = 0.00

|Oct snow inch = 0.20

|Nov snow inch = 5.10

|Dec snow inch = 19.60

|year snow inch =

|source 1 = NOAA

{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USW00014743&format=pdf

|title = Canton 4 SE, New York 1991-2020 Monthly Normals

|access-date = December 13, 2023

}}

|source 2 = XMACIS (temp records & monthly max/mins)

{{cite web

|url = https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|title = xmACIS

|access-date = December 13, 2023

}}

}}

{{US Census population

|1820= 1337

|1830= 2440

|1840= 3465

|1850= 4685

|1860= 6379

|1870= 6014

|1880= 6275

|1890= 6096

|1900= 6387

|1910= 6151

|1920= 6497

|1930= 6795

|1940= 6138

|1950= 7652

|1960= 8935

|1970= 10348

|1980= 11568

|1990= 11120

|2000= 10334

|2010= 10995

|2020= 11638

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|website=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/cantontownstlawrencecountynewyork,US/PST045221|title=United States Census Bureau QuickFacts|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=February 26, 2022}}

}}

{{As of|2000}}, the census{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }} reported that there were 10,334 people, 3,198 households, and 2,011 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|98.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 3,515 housing units at an average density of {{convert|33.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. 91.81% White, 4.49% Black or African American, 0.54% Native American, 0.99% Asian, 1.02% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.92% of the population. There were 3,198 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.9% under the age of 18, 29.6% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $36,875, and the median income for a family was $43,819. Males had a median income of $33,993 versus $25,989 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,896. About 9.2% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.6% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

U.S. Route 11 runs through Canton and is served by Adirondack Trailways, with stops in Gouverneur, Watertown and Syracuse to the west, and Potsdam, Malone and Rouses Point to the east. To the north on New York State Route 68, Ogdensburg borders Canada at the Johnstown crossing, which in turn is an hour from the capital, Ottawa.

The CSX Transportation former New York Central Railroad St. Lawrence Division runs through the town. Until 1964 the New York Central operated passenger trains from Massena, through the town, to Watertown, and to Syracuse to meet up with the NYC mainline.{{cite web|title=April 1960 New York Central timetable, as example of earlier service|url=http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/ptt/images/tt-0460.pdf|website=Canadasouthern.com|access-date=April 12, 2021}}{{cite web|title=April 1964 New York Central timetable|url=http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/ptt/images/tt-0464.pdf|website=Canadasouthern.com|access-date=April 12, 2021}}

• Crary Mills – A hamlet southwest of Canton village.
• Brick Chapel – A hamlet south of Canton village on County Road 27.
• Canton – A village centrally located in the town by the Grasse River and US-11.
• Eddy – A hamlet in the southwestern corner of the town on US-11.
• Morley – A hamlet on the northern town line by the Grasse River at the intersection of County Roads 14 and 27. The community was originally known as "Long Rapids."
• Pyrites – A hamlet in the southwestern corner of the town on US-11.
• Rensselaer Falls – A village in the northwestern corner of the town on County Roads 14 and 15.
• St. Lawrence University – A university in Canton village.
• SUNY Canton – A state college northwest of Canton village.
• Upper and Lower Lakes State Wildlife Area
• Woodbridge Corners – A location NY-68 northwest of Canton village.

• Irving Bacheller, writer and journalist
• Charles Edward Bennett, Florida congressman, was born in Canton
• Dan Brady, ice hockey player for Boston University and Western Hockey League
• Greg Carvel, UMass ice hockey head coach
• Cynthia Eloise Cleveland, lawyer and writer, born in Canton
• Theodore Conkey, Wisconsin politician
• Jordan Greenway, NHL player for the Buffalo Sabres
• A. Barton Hepburn, financier, philanthropist and U.S. Comptroller of the Currency
• Dave Jennings, professional American football player; played for St. Lawrence University
• David O'Brien Martin, New York politician and attorney
• Wade Megan, ice hockey player
• Frederic Remington, artist
• William Pierce Rogers, United States Secretary of State
• Matthew Skoller, Chicago blues harmonicist, singer, songwriter, and record producer{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YRsxDwAAQBAJ&q=%22Matthew+Skoller%22.+%22August+3%2C+1962%22&pg=PA161|title=The Encyclopedia of the Harmonica|first=Peter|last=Krampert|page=161|date=March 23, 2016|publisher=Mel Bay Publications|isbn=978-0786658954}}
• Hobart Stocking (1846–1920), Wisconsin legislator
• Silas Wright, New York State Governor

{{portal|New York (state)}}

{{Reflist}}

{{EB1911 poster|Canton (New York)}}

• [http://www.cantonnewyork.us/government Canton town website]
• [http://www.cantonnychamber.org/habout.html Canton area information]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090809184114/http://www.canton.ny.us/ Canton information and links]
• [http://history.rays-place.com/ny/canton-ny.htm Canton history]

{{St. Lawrence County, New York}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Towns in St. Lawrence County, New York

Category:Towns in New York (state)