“Canton”

First appeared on maps as Commerce City 1866. Its first postmaster was Benjamin Hill, appointed 14 May 1868. First settler her L.P. Hyde, 1861. Cuppett, Hewit & Rea built a blockhouse spring 1868 where Courthouse now stands. County organized 30 December 1867. Original plat under Act of Congress spring 1868. Twenty five Norwegian families settled near

Canton in 1868. Sioux Valley News, first newspaper, established in 1872 by R.H. Miller. Railroad reached Canton in 1879. First county seat directed to be on Section 14 Township 98 Range 59 was named Canton by vote of settler, believed to be the exact opposite to Canton, China. O.E. Rolvaag author of “Giants in the Earth” student Augustana Academy 1898-1901. Ernest Orlando Lawrence inventor of the cyclotron and eminent scientist was born here in 1902 as was Merle Tuve developer of the famous “radio proximity fuze” of World War II.

Lincoln County, southeast corner of courthouse square in Canton