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Metro Detroit Wayne County Charter township

Canton

Sweet corn fields turned one of Michigan's biggest townships, with a Chinese name

People (2025 estimate)
99,714
Land area
36.1 sq mi · 93.5 km²
From downtown
22.5 miles · 36 km · west
Incorporated
1834

3 events this week

Dwight Burdette · CC BY 3.0

01 / Why it matters

Why Canton matters

Canton was carved out of the southern part of Plymouth Township on March 7, 1834, and named after Canton, China. For generations it was farm country: cows, hogs, chickens, and from 1925 to 1970 the nickname "Sweet Corn Capitol of Michigan," since local farms supplied the region's big grocery stores.

The big turn came in the 1970s. I-275 put the whole metro area within an hour's drive, and according to the township's own history page, many families moved here to live west of the boundary of the proposed Detroit cross-district school busing plans; no such plan was ever carried out. Some years saw 2,000 new homes go up.

Today Canton is one of the big residential and shopping zones of the western suburbs, with Ford Road lined with stores; in 2005 IKEA announced its Michigan store here. Old Cherry Hill village was rebuilt around the township's own 400-seat theater, and every June Heritage Park hosts the three-day Liberty Fest, carnival rides and all.

Where Canton sits on the Metro Detroit map, with its neighbors. PlymouthPlymouth Charter TownshipWayneWestlandCanton
22.5 miles west of downtown Detroit The three counties Imagery: EOxCloudless 2016, CC BY 4.0 · boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau

02 / Known for

What Canton is known for

  1. The only local community that kept its original Chinese name

  2. The "Sweet Corn Capitol of Michigan" nickname from 1925 to 1970

  3. The emerald ash borer was first identified here in 2002 before spreading across the Great Lakes region

  4. Canton Liberty Fest, the township's biggest community celebration since 1991

03 / What’s on

What’s on in Canton

All in the event finder ↗

04 / Places

27 places on our site in Canton

Search all places ↗

05 / What to do

If you’re in Canton

  • The Village Theater at Cherry Hill

    The township's own 400-seat theater and arts center in Cherry Hill: concerts, plays, dance, exhibitions and classes.

    Official site ↗

  • Heritage Park

    The big township park off Canton Center Road behind the municipal complex; Liberty Fest takes over in June.

    Official site ↗

  • Cherry Hill Village és a Bartlett-Travis House

    Old Cherry Hill's historic buildings: the school and the Methodist church are state historic sites, and the restored 1840s Bartlett-Travis House opens for occasional tours.

    Official site ↗

06 / History

Canton through the years

  1. 1825

    Sheldon Corners is founded beside the Sauk Trail, today's Michigan Avenue, one of the first settlements.

  2. 1834

    On March 7, Canton Township is created from the southern part of Plymouth Township.

  3. 1874

    The first township hall goes up at Canton Center and Cherry Hill for $700.

  4. 1991

    Canton Liberty Fest begins.

  5. 2002

    The emerald ash borer is first identified in Canton.

  6. 2005

    IKEA announces its Michigan store will open in Canton.

07 / Born here

3 people in our lexicon were born here

08 / People

Famous names from here

  • Allison Schmitt four-time Olympian and ten-time Olympic medalist swimmer who grew up in Canton
  • Precious Adams ballet dancer, born and raised in Canton
  • Bazzi singer-songwriter behind the 2017 hit "Mine," born in Canton
The historic Cherry Hill School
The historic Cherry Hill School Dwight Burdette · CC BY 3.0
The Canton historical museum
The Canton historical museum PimfyBPerkins · CC0

09 / Nearby

Towns nearby

Back to the Metro Detroit map

Sources

Population and area are Census Bureau figures (Canton charter township).

Change since 2020, per the Census Bureau estimate: +1.1 percent.

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