By Laura Newsome

How It All Began
Located along a Cherokee Nation trade route, early settlers of the town of Etowah envisioned their new city as a silk capital, not unlike the famed Canton, China, for which the city was renamed in 1834. Though the silk trade never took off as envisioned, Canton quickly became the commercial, educational and social center of Cherokee County, where 1,200 workers produced high-quality denim at the Canton Textile and Cotton Mills well into the 20th century. Though Canton’s two remaining mills closed in 1981, the city has successfully transitioned from a textile town to a state-of-the-art center of commerce, enjoying an economic boom propelled by a 60 percent increase in population between 1990 and 2000.

Taking Care of Business
The popular phrase “The Best of Both Worlds” certainly applies to Canton’s artful balance between being a growing commercial offshoot of metro Atlanta and retaining its strong sense of small-town community life.

Known for its shopping, dining and entertainment options, Canton attracts consumers from all over north Georgia with new commercial development along five exits of Interstate 575—a regional trade and employment center featuring an upscale industrial park and rail service. The city is also the force behind Technology Ridge, a newly established Community Improvement District (CID) along Interstate 575 that will attract high-tech industry and corporate operational centers.

Small Town Charm
Canton’s historic downtown is characterized by independent shops and specialty retail stores that fill the city’s renovated storefronts. The square also features a new City Hall in the renovated, repurposed First Baptist Church of Canton, which will house administrative offices and bring City Hall back to the central business district.

Another shining beacon of downtown Canton is the 90-year-old historic Canton Theatre, which evolved from showing slides and silent movies in the 1920s to talkies and Technicolor films during the patriotic World War II era. The quaint, art deco theater fell into disrepair during the suburbanization of the mid-1970s, but was restored in 1994, becoming a downtown gem that showcases classic movies and Broadway productions.

Get Active
In addition to the coming Hickory Log Creek Dam and Reservoir, which will cover 414 acres and feature 15 miles of shoreline for boating, swimming and other water-bound recreational opportunities, Canton is also home to the Fairways of Canton, an 18-hole golf course located within the clubhouse community of Laurel Canyon. Designed by Rocky Rocquemore, the Fairways features a challenging mountain layout, a knowledgeable staff and a first-class golf club—The Fairways of Canton Golf Club, which includes a practice facility, locker rooms, a restaurant and a fully-stocked pro shop.

The Great Outdoors
Located just 30 miles north of the bustle of Atlanta, in the rolling foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Canton borders the beautiful Etowah River and bursts with arboreal beauty, abundant wildlife and sparkling creeks that wind among a canopy of towering hardwoods. Besides a bevy of scenic trails and picturesque outlooks, Canton also features many local green spaces like Boling Park, Brown Park, Burge Park and Heritage Park, which feature family friendly amenities like tennis courts, walking trails, basketball courts, playgrounds, picnic areas and soccer fields.