Canton Historical Society

Welcome To The BIGGEST
Local History Web Site In America

THIS WEB SITE WILL BE UNDERGOING
A COMPLETE OVERHAUL IN THE NEAR
FUTURE. FROM TIME TO TIME THE SITE
MAY BE UNAVAILABLE. PLEASE BEAR
WITH US. YOU WILL LIKE THE NEW SITE.

Some of the music used on our Web Site
Is Courtesy Of The OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE.

The Music on this page is of Canton's own
William Billings. This song is called "Chester".
Some consider this to be the unofficial National
Anthem of the Revolutionary War.

Please VISIT Old Sturbridge Village, This should Be Of Special Interest
To Canton People. The Oldest House In Their Collection Is From
Canton, The FENNO House. The House Was Given To The Village
In 1949, By The Canton Historical Society.

Please feel free to use any information
on our pages, we request that you give
credit to the Canton Historical Society
and or other authors.

PLEASE SUBMIT REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION
IN WRITING TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS AND
INCLUDE A DONATION TO HELP COVER
COPYING AND POSTAGE.

Canton is the home of American Freedom. In 1775, at the Doty Tavern, at the Foot of the Great Blue Hill the "Suffolk Resolves" were drafted. The Resolves were finalized in Milton, Mass. Then Paul Revere transported the documents by horseback to the "Continental Congress" in Philadelphia. The Suffolk Resolves was America's Declaration of War against England. At this time Canton was still part of the Town of Stoughton.

The Canton "Viaduct", pictured here was built in 1835. The structure was built by Irish immigrants. The granite was quarried locally in Canton and neighboring Sharon. The Viaduct was the final link between Boston and Providence, Rhode Island. This structure is on the National Historic Register.

The History of Canton, Massachusetts begins in 1630 with the Incorporation of the Town of Dorchester. In 1637, Dorchester extended its boundaries to "beyond the Great Blew Hills", this area included today's towns of Canton, Stoughton, Sharon and others. This area was also known as "Dorchester South Precinct" and the "New Grant". At this time Dorchester was the largest town in New England. In 1726, the portion of Dorchester which comprised Stoughton, Canton and Sharon wanted to be annexed from their mother town. So in March of 1726 the new Town of Stoughton was created, comprising these three towns. Stoughton was named for Lt. Governor William Stoughton, who presided at the Salem, Mass., Witch Trials in the 1690's. In the year 1765, the Second Parish (Sharon), wanted to be annexed from Stoughton, so it was to be. In 1796, the First Parish decided they wanted their freedom, a man named Elijah Dunbar thought the new town was antipodal to Canton, China, he was wrong of course. So, on February 23, 1797, Canton became her own town. Two other proposed names for Canton were "Freedom" and "Danbury". The town is planning a year long Bicentennial Celebration.

Paul Revere built the first Copper Rolling Mill here in 1801.

The first piece of Cotton Cloth was made in Canton in 1802 by James Beaumont.

The first Steam Shovel in America was invented here by William Otis in 1836.

The masts on the USS Constitution came from Elm Street in 1797.

The copper bottom on the USS Constitution was made here by Paul Revere.

James A. Bazin invented the Pitch Pipe and many other musical instruments.

Alanson B. Bullock invented a Rotary Steam Engine and a Cordage Twisting Machine.

The Lifeboat was patented by Armand Didot.

Cornelius Callahan invented the Fire Hose Nozzle, they are still in use today.

Zenas Crane, born in the 1790's invented a way to prevent counterfeiting paper money, still in use today.

Historical Society Information	Interest In The Town's Past
Author Of The "History Of Canton"	Paul Revere In Canton
Canton Biographical Sketches	First White Child Born In Canton
Looking Back Columns 8/94 - 8/96	History Of Pequitside Farm
Canton Journal Index 1876 - 1890	Stoughton Branch Railroad Stories
The Incorporation Of Canton	Canton's First Settlers
The Doty Tavern & the Suffolk Resolves	Canton Public Library & Schools
Aerial Photo Of Canton Center In 1965	Civil War Letters Of G. Bolton Of N. Y.
The TRAIN PAGE	The Rolling Stones In Foxboro
A History of the Viaduct	1829 Hunneman Hand Tub
Blue Hill Street Railway	1884 Thanksgiving Dinner In Canton
Historical & Genealogy Links #1	History & Genealogy Links #2
Revolutionary War Reenactment-1995	May's Tavern During The Revolution
NEW The History of the Esteys in England and America	The Gridley Graveyard
The Early Baptist Church	William Royall, The Last Slave Owner
The Early Orthodox Church	John Shepard, Stranger In His Own Land
The Early Universalist Church	The Old Dunbar Parsonage
Reverend Benjamin Huntoon	The Packeen Ghost
Canton Catholic Club, Massapoag House	Canton Junction Relocation Project
The End Of The British Flag In Canton
Reverend Zachariah Howard	Historical Society Organized 1871
Deacon Joseph Tucker	The Little Red House At Pequitside Farm
Nathaniel Kenney Of Canton	Old Canton Maps Page
Deborah Samson Mass. State Heroine	Springdale Mudhens Football Team
Deborah Samson, By The Canton Girl Scouts	12 Golden Rules For Children, From The 1880's
Old Egg Superstitions, By The Girl Scouts	Signs Of Rain, By The Girl Scouts
Pleasant Street Was Called Ragged Row	The Country's Oldest Singing Society
Canton's Ponkapoag Indians & Links	Cure For Rattlesnake Bite Found Here
Genealogy Index Page	Canton Chat Room Talk about Canton
Canton Junction, The Early Days	James A. Bazin, Inventor Of Musical Instruments
A Canton Gossip Hymn, 1897	Canton Center In The Olden Days
Canton High School, Class Song, 1930	The Canton Telephone Exchange
The Neponset National Bank	Canton Teacher Stoned To Death
	Obituary Index
Canton Area Radio Frequencies, Police, Fire, Ham and More	Canton Bicentennial Book (TXT Version)
Canton Message Board. Communicate With Other Residents	Postal Train Wreck, 1898
Story Of Commodore Downes	Canton's First Letter Carrier
Drinking Was A major Problem	Elijah Crane, Colorful Character
Canton Corner Engine House	Elijah Dunbar, 1st Local Library
Human Interest Stories Of The Past	The Lyceum Had Lively Debates
Ye Old Meetinghouse Renovated	Canton Inspired The Country In Music
Old Canton Roads And Ways	Old School Information
Dorchester South Precinct	Stores Aren't What They Used To Be
Taverns Key To Colonial Travel	Watering Trough Trend, 1880's
Canton Evicts 1st Minister	Walking The Town Boundaries
Paul's Variety Store	1973 Poem Of The Little Red House
	Friends Of The Little Red House

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