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Canton, Illinois
Canton is a city of 13,144 people in Fulton County, Illinois, founded in 1825.
Why visit Canton
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 14 parks and trails, 15 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Majestic Theatre of Canton, Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Station, Orendorf Site and Double T State Fish and Wildlife Area.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 16°F, and about 28 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Canton
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Canton
Canton is the largest city in Fulton County, Illinois, United States. The population was 13,242 at the 2020 census, down from 14,704 at the 2010 census. The Canton Micropolitan Statistical Area covers all of Fulton County; it is, in turn, part of the wider Peoria–Canton, Illinois Combined Statistical Area (CSA).
From the Wikipedia article Canton, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks4
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Listed on the NRHP in Illinois
Orendorf Site
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Archaeological site in Illinois, United States
Parlin Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic building in Canton, Illinois, United States
Ulysses G. Orendorff House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds14
Double T State Fish and Wildlife Area
Park · 4.2 mi
State Fish and Wildlife Area in Fulton County, Illinois
2 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes15
Oversea Chinese Restaurant
Restaurant · Chinese · 1.3 mi
450 East Linn Street, Canton
Tu-Su 10:30-21:30
Don and Nancy’s Cafe
Cafe · 0.4 mi
124 North Main Street, Canton
Burger King
Fast food · Burger · 0.4 mi
210 North 1st Avenue, Canton
Mo-Sa 06:00-22:00; Su 07:00-22:00
Papa John's
Fast food · Pizza
621 North Main Street, Canton
Mo-Th 10:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-24:00; Su 10:00-23:00
Subway
Fast food · Sandwich · 1.3 mi
445 East Linn Street, Canton
Mo-Fr 08:00-22:00; Sa 09:00-22:00; Su 09:00-21:00
3 more on the map.
History
Canton was founded in 1825 by settler Isaac Swan, who believed his new town and Canton, China, were antipodes.
Swan, his infant child, and three other people died in a devastating tornado in June 1835. "Isaac Swan and his child were found in the wreckage of their cabin, the baby dying in its mother's arms," leading some to conclude that the tornado represented divine retribution for the city allowing a circus performance the previous week. The city was hit by another tornado, this one an F-3, on July 23, 1975. Two people were killed, and the storm, deemed the 1975 Canton Tornado, caused major damage to the downtown area.
On September 13, 1967, Los Angeles rock band The Doors played a concert at Canton High School.
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 (6 km) 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. It was renamed Riverland Biofuels.
From the History section of Canton, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship28
Canton Seventh-day Adventist Church
Church · Seventh Day Adventist · 1.4 mi
980 South Main Street, Canton
Saint Marys Roman Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 0.5 mi
139 East Chestnut Street, Canton
First Congretional United Church Of Christ
Church · 0.5 mi
159 North 2nd Avenue, Canton
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries15
Healthcare2
Map of Canton
90 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°F | 16°F | 2.2 in | 9.7 in |
| Feb | 39°F | 20°F | 2.2 in | 5.8 in |
| Mar | 51°F | 30°F | 2.7 in | 3.2 in |
| Apr | 64°F | 41°F | 4.2 in | 1.2 in |
| May | 74°F | 53°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 85°F | 62°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 65°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 63°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 54°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 68°F | 42°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 52°F | 32°F | 2.7 in | 1.1 in |
| Dec | 39°F | 22°F | 2.4 in | 6.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Havana (18 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Fulton County has had 11 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2024-09-20: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng (Flood)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-09-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Peoria International Airport (PIA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 19 miles away.
- Norris 4 mi north, about 7 min by car
- St. David 5 mi south, about 8 min by car
- Dunfermline 5 mi south, about 8 min by car
- Farmington 9 mi north, about 15 min by car
- Cuba 10 mi southwest, about 15 min by car
- Fairview 10 mi northwest, about 16 min by car
- Glasford 12 mi east, about 19 min by car
- Trivoli 12 mi northeast, about 19 min by car
- Lewistown 13 mi southwest, about 21 min by car
- Peoria 26 mi northeast, about 41 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Parlin Library, Canton, Illinois, Stolehome, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Greeting from Canton, Illinois - Large Letter Postcard (7893215524), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Depot, Canton, Illinois, Stolehome, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Graham Medical Group in Canton, IL USA, Quinn Stambaugh, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Canton township office 2026-07-07, User:Visviva, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Oversea Chinese Restauruant, Canton, Illinois, Quinn Stambaugh, CC0
- Taco Bell (50323181546), Joseph Gage, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Goodwill (50323357537), Joseph Gage, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Image Orendorff House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Great blue heron, Fulton County, Illinois (50312515622), Joseph Gage, CC BY-SA 2.0
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