History of Canton
Canton was founded in 1825 by settler Isaac Swan, who mistakenly believed his new town and Canton, China 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-acre 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 an Illinois State Prison- 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.