Brief History
The township of Canton was created by act of the Michigan Territorial Legislature on March 7, 1834 out of what had been Plymouth Township. It was named after the city of Canton in China. The name was chosen for the purpose of not conflicting with the name of any post office in existence at the time. By the mid-to-late 1830’s, what is now known as Canton was becoming a steadily growing and emerging community. At this time two villages had been established, Sheldon Corners and Cherry Hill. These villages offered services such as a post office, general store, a school and a church. In 1874, the first township hall was constructed at the southwest corner of Canton Center and Cherry Hill roads, the epicenter of the community. By 1961, the need for services prompted a proposal to incorporate as a charter township. From 1925 to 1970 farming served as the primary source of income for the families that lived in Canton due to trace minerals and organic matter that provided the community with fertile soil.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 36.0 mi². 36.0 mi² of it is land and none of it is covered by water. The south of the township is drained by the Lower River Rouge and its tributaries, including Pine Creek, which drains from the northwest corner to the southeast. The northeast is drained by Tonquish Creek and Garden Creek, which are tributaries of the Middle River Rouge.
Special Events
Canton’s Heritage Park hosts a summer-long weekly Music in the Park every year. Thursday nights a variety of bands from country & western to jazz entertain the Canton residents.
Shopping
The majority of Canton’s commercial area is situated on Ford Road west of I-275. Canton is the home of IKEA, the Swedish home furnishings retailer, which opened its store in Canton the summer 2006. More than two million shoppers are expected to visit each year. The store encompasses 311,000 square feet in two stories. It is located on 21 acres at Haggerty Road and Ford Road, near I-275. The store features a 300-seat restaurant, 1,100 parking spaces, and a supervised children’s play area.
Restaurants
Canton is home to many of the national franchise restaurants including TGI Friday’s, Max & Erma’s, Applebee’s, Outback Steakhouse and Chili’s, many of which are located on Ford Road west of I-275.
Recreation
Canton is rich with opportunities for leisure time activity, making it not only an exciting place to live and work, but also an exciting place to play. The community provides a host of facilities and organized events that promote individual and family activity. The center of community recreation, Summit on the Park, is recognized throughout the southeastern Michigan area for its unique recreational programs and services as well as its quality full-service banquet facilities. The Summit, an 95,000-square-foot facility, offers a full-service fitness center, an aquatics area, a gymnasium, an indoor running track, racquetball courts, and dance studios. The $16 million complex, located in the heart of the community in the beautiful 105-acre Heritage Park, includes a wide array of outstanding cultural and recreational amenities. Its unique design is topped by a 75-foot high glass tower and massive copper and glass superstructure. Leaders in the community continue to place a great emphasis on developing open space and park areas for the use and enjoyment of the public. Canton is home to two golf courses. Fellows Creek Golf Course offers 27 holes and Pheasant Run Golf Course currently features 18 holes. The community also plays host to many special events throughout the year. Liberty Fest continues to be Canton’s most popular annual festival and is joined throughout the year by October Fest, summer concert series in Heritage Park, the annual Fishing Derby, Marshmallow Drop and other events for all ages.
Recognition
Canton has been recognized as the 29th Safest Community in America.
Location
Canton is approximately 20 miles east of Ann Arbor, 35 miles west of Detroit and 50 miles north of Toledo, Ohio. It has convenient access to I-275, Michigan busiest expressway, and I-96, which connects Detroit to Ann Arbor, Lansing and Grand Rapids.
Schools
Canton is served by three school districts: the Plymouth-Canton Community School District, the Van Buren School District, and the Wayne-Westland Community School District. Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, a district that enrolls over 16,000 students and is comprised of 15 elementary, five middle, and three high schools, serves the major part of the community. Students in the district consistently score higher than the state average on the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) and the national average on the Standard Aptitude Test (SAT).
Canton is home to several private schools, including All Saints Catholic School, Plymouth Christian Academy, Agape Christian Academy, and Plymouth Canton Montessori.
Community Statistics
If you are new to the area, we thought it might be useful for you to see how the communities in our immediate area relate to one another in terms of pricing and how various subdivisions within the same city compare, as well as some other useful statistics and demographics. If you already live here, this information might be useful to help you understand the value of your home.
For the latest information please Email our Sales Dept.
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