Canton
During the first fifty years of the existence of Cherokee County, Canton served as the primary commercial, educational, and social center of the county. Canton was incorporated in 1833 under the name of "Etowah". The legislature approved the name "Canton" the next year, since some the founders of the town had tried to establish a silk industry, as found in Canton, China. One advantage that led to the development of Canton as a market and trading center was the richness of the outlying agricultural districts. Cherokee county was among the top counties of Georgia for per-acre cotton production.
Canton became a very popular summer resort in the 1880's and 1890's among people from the more sweltering regions of the south. For many years, a number of companies operated in the marble finishing business, the largest being the Georgia Marble Finishing Works. The office of the Georgia Marble Finishing Works in Canton is now used as the office of the Cherokee County Water & Sewage Authority. Canton Cotton Mills, later Canton Textile Mills, was one of the largest manufacturers in the south. "Canton Denim" was known for its high quality and was sought by people throughout the country. Today, Canton continues to be a center for manufacturing goods and services. Canton is home to several agribusinesses that sell products all around the south, including Cagle Dairy Farms and Seaboard Farms poultry.