Canton, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Canton is the largest city in Fulton County, Illinois
in the United States
. The population was 18,288 as of the 2000 Census. The Canton Micropolitan Statistical Area covers all of Fulton County; it is in turn part of the wider Peoria-Canton, IL Combined Statistical Area (CSA)
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 8 square miles (20.7 km²), of which, 7.8 square miles (20.2 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (2.00%) is water.
were antipodes
. Abundant coal and labor, and the proximity of railroads and the Illinois River
made Canton a factory town. The major manufacturing plant in town was P&O (Parlin & Orendorff) Plow Works, later International Harvester
, which closed in 1983. In 1997, the 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) plant was destroyed by an arson fire, leaving the former industrial heart of the city a smoldering ruin, which has since been leveled. The town's employers now include the Illinois state prison named the Illinois River Correctional Center, the city's Graham Hospital, Spoon River College
and retail stores.
Founder Isaac Swan, his infant child, and three other people died in a devastating tornado
of June 1835. The city was hit by another F-3 tornado on July 23, 1975. Two people were killed and the storm caused major damage to the downtown area.
Much of the city, particularly the northern portion, has been undermined by room and pillar
extraction of coal
that took place in the 1800s.
Central Illinois Energy, a locally-financed cooperative, began planning for a corn-fermentation ethanol plant in 2002. Construction and finance delays resulted in its opening in 2007, approximately 4 miles south of the city. Beset by financial problems and construction delays on the plant, the cooperative declared bankruptcy. Central Illinois Energy's assets were bought by a private company, construction was completed, and the plant began production in the Summer of 2008, renamed Riverland Biofuels.
In December 2008, Cook Medical announced that they would open a new medical device factory at the old International Harvester
site. Company owner William "Bill" Cook grew up in Canton. Some of the costs related to Cook Medical are planned to be paid for with state funds: a $750,000 Community Development Assistance Program grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and a $1.1 million grant from Illinois Department of Transportation
for infrastructure improvements near the plant. Scott Eells, the chief operating officer
for Cook Group, has said that the factory will be 45000 square feet (4,180.6 m²) and is aiming to have over 300 employees. Bill Cook had previously announced he was buying and renovating several old Canton buildings, including the 1883 Randolph Building on the town square.
of 2000, there were 15,288 people, 5,677 households, and 3,616 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,947.8 people per square mile (751.9/km²). There were 6,098 housing units at an average density of 776.9 per square mile (299.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.59% White, 8.85% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races
, and 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.09% of the population.
There were 5,677 households out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples
living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.3% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 115.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 119.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,011, and the median income for a family was $39,910. Males had a median income of $30,519 versus $20,891 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,012. About 10.1% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.9% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
Fulton County, Illinois
Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 37,069, which is a decrease of 3.1% from 38,250 in 2000. Its county seat is Lewistown. Canton is the largest city. Both cities are southwest of Peoria, and the county is considered...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 18,288 as of the 2000 Census. The Canton Micropolitan Statistical Area covers all of Fulton County; it is in turn part of the wider Peoria-Canton, IL Combined Statistical Area (CSA)
Peoria metropolitan area
The Peoria Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of five counties in Central Illinois, anchored by the city of Peoria...
.
Geography
Canton is located at 40.557737°N 90.034264°W.According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 8 square miles (20.7 km²), of which, 7.8 square miles (20.2 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (2.00%) is water.
History
Canton was founded in 1825 by settler Isaac Swan, who mistakenly believed his new town and Canton, ChinaGuangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
were antipodes
Antipodes
In geography, the antipodes of any place on Earth is the point on the Earth's surface which is diametrically opposite to it. Two points that are antipodal to one another are connected by a straight line running through the centre of the Earth....
. Abundant coal and labor, and the proximity of railroads and the Illinois River
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
made Canton a factory town. The major manufacturing plant in town was P&O (Parlin & Orendorff) Plow Works, later International Harvester
International Harvester
International Harvester Company was a United States agricultural machinery, construction equipment, vehicle, commercial truck, and household and commercial products manufacturer. In 1902, J.P...
, which closed in 1983. In 1997, the 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) plant was destroyed by an arson fire, leaving the former industrial heart of the city a smoldering ruin, which has since been leveled. The town's employers now include the Illinois state prison named the Illinois River Correctional Center, the city's Graham Hospital, Spoon River College
Spoon River College
Spoon River College , located in Canton, Illinois, is one of 48 two-year, open-admission colleges of the Illinois Community College System , organized under the Illinois Public Community College Act...
and retail stores.
Founder Isaac Swan, his infant child, and three other people died in a devastating tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
of June 1835. The city was hit by another F-3 tornado on July 23, 1975. Two people were killed and the storm caused major damage to the downtown area.
Much of the city, particularly the northern portion, has been undermined by room and pillar
Room and pillar
Room and pillar is a mining system in which the mined material is extracted across a horizontal plane while leaving "pillars" of untouched material to support the roof overburden leaving open areas or "rooms" underground...
extraction of coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
that took place in the 1800s.
Central Illinois Energy, a locally-financed cooperative, began planning for a corn-fermentation ethanol plant in 2002. Construction and finance delays resulted in its opening in 2007, approximately 4 miles south of the city. Beset by financial problems and construction delays on the plant, the cooperative declared bankruptcy. Central Illinois Energy's assets were bought by a private company, construction was completed, and the plant began production in the Summer of 2008, renamed Riverland Biofuels.
In December 2008, Cook Medical announced that they would open a new medical device factory at the old International Harvester
International Harvester
International Harvester Company was a United States agricultural machinery, construction equipment, vehicle, commercial truck, and household and commercial products manufacturer. In 1902, J.P...
site. Company owner William "Bill" Cook grew up in Canton. Some of the costs related to Cook Medical are planned to be paid for with state funds: a $750,000 Community Development Assistance Program grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and a $1.1 million grant from Illinois Department of Transportation
Illinois Department of Transportation
The Illinois Department of Transportation is a state agency in charge of state-maintained public roadways of the U.S. state of Illinois. In addition, IDOT provides funding for rail, public transit and airport projects and administers fuel tax and federal funding to local juridictions in the...
for infrastructure improvements near the plant. Scott Eells, the chief operating officer
Chief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
for Cook Group, has said that the factory will be 45000 square feet (4,180.6 m²) and is aiming to have over 300 employees. Bill Cook had previously announced he was buying and renovating several old Canton buildings, including the 1883 Randolph Building on the town square.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 15,288 people, 5,677 households, and 3,616 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,947.8 people per square mile (751.9/km²). There were 6,098 housing units at an average density of 776.9 per square mile (299.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.59% White, 8.85% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.09% of the population.
There were 5,677 households out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.3% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 115.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 119.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,011, and the median income for a family was $39,910. Males had a median income of $30,519 versus $20,891 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,012. About 10.1% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.9% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Granville BarrereGranville BarrereGranville Barrere was a U.S. Representative from Illinois, nephew of Nelson Barrere.Born in New Market, near Hillsboro, Ohio, Barrere attended the common schools and Augusta College, Augusta, Kentucky, and graduated from Marietta College, Marietta, Ohio.He studied law.He was admitted to the bar in...
, (1829–1889) U.S. Representative from Illinois. - Tony BlazineTony BlazineAnthony A. Blazine, Jr. was an American football offensive tackle in the National Football League. He would play professionally with the Chicago Cardinals and the New York Giants. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998....
, (1912–1963) NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
football player (1935–1941). - Burnett M. ChiperfieldBurnett M. ChiperfieldBurnett Mitchell Chiperfield was a U.S. Representative from Illinois, father of Robert Bruce Chiperfield.-Early life:...
, (1870–1940) U.S. Representative from Illinois. - William "Bill" Cook, (1931–2011) medical device entrepreneur and historic preservationist, founder of the Cook GroupCook GroupCook Group Incorporated is an American privately held company based in Bloomington, Indiana, and primarily involved in manufacturing of medical devices. It was ranked #324 in Forbes' 2008 America's Largest Private Companies. It has three main divisions: Cook Medical, Allied Manufacturing, and...
. - Tim DrummondTim DrummondTim Drummond is an American bass guitarist who has toured and recorded with many notable artists including Conway Twitty, Bob Dylan, James Brown, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Crosby, Stills, & Nash, Ry Cooder, J. J. Cale, Lonnie Mack, Miles Davis, B.B...
, (1941–) bass guitarist. - Charles DuryeaCharles DuryeaCharles Edgar Duryea was the engineer of the first-ever working American gasoline-powered car. He was born near Canton, Illinois, the son of George Washington Duryea and Louisa Melvina Turner and died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but spent most of his life working in Springfield, Massachusetts...
, (1861–1938) automobile manufacturer. - Lee EyerlyLee EyerlyLee Ulrich Eyerly was an American civil aviation pioneer and amusement ride manufacturer.-Early life:Eyerly was born February 22 1892 in Cuba, Illinois, and raised in Canton. In 1909, his family moved to the Judith Basin area of Montana to take advantage of the Homestead Act. Because he was...
, (1892–1963) an American civil aviation pioneer and amusement ride manufacturer. - Jack FiskJack FiskJack Fisk is an American movie industry professional, frequently working as either a production designer or art director on Hollywood movies.Fisk met Sissy Spacek when working on Terrence Malick's 1973 movie Badlands...
, (1945–) Academy Award-nominated production designer and art director. - R. Thomas Flynn, (1938–) retired president of Monroe Community CollegeMonroe Community CollegeMonroe Community College is a two-year college of the State University of New York, located in Monroe County, New York. The college has two campuses, one in the town of Brighton and another, the Damon City Campus, in the City of Rochester...
. - James "Boomer" GrigsbyBoomer GrigsbyAppearing in 15 games in 2006, Grigsby again ranked third on the Chiefs in special teams tackles with 18. He missed one game that season with foot injury.Prior to the 2007 regular season, Grigsby was converted from linebacker to fullback...
, (1981–) NFL football player (2005–2008). - Harry JacobsHarry JacobsHarry Edwards Jacobs is a former American college and Professional Football player.A linebacker, he played college football for Bradley University and in the American Football League for the Boston Patriots from 1960 through 1962, and for the Buffalo Bills from 1963 through 1969...
, (1937–) linebacker at Bradley UniversityBradley UniversityBradley University, founded in 1897, is a private, co-educational university located in Peoria, Illinois. It is a small institution with an enrollment of approximately 6,100 undergraduate and postgraduate students and a full-time faculty of approximately 350....
and for the Boston Patriots and Buffalo BillsBuffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. - Elizabeth MagieElizabeth MagieElizabeth "Lizzie" J. Phillips née Magie was an American game designer. She invented The Landlord's Game, the precursor to Monopoly.-Early life:...
, (1866–1948) inventor of The Landlord's Game, the precursor to Monopoly. - Steven R. NagelSteven R. NagelSteven Ray Nagel is a retired Colonel in the USAF and a former NASA astronaut.-Personal data:Born October 27, 1946, in Canton, Illinois. Married to fellow astronaut Linda M. Godwin of Houston, Texas. Two daughters. His hobbies include sport flying and music. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ivan R....
, (1946–) astronaut. - Ian WolfeIan WolfeIan Wolfe was an American actor whose films date from 1934 to 1990. Until 1934, he worked as a theatre actor. Wolfe mostly found work as a character actor, appearing in over 270 films...
, (1896–1992) television and movie actor, poet.