Canton, MA

Canton was incorporated in 1797, formed from the southern district of Stoughton as the region developed into a small but active industrial community along the Neponset River. Early iron works, mills, and the copper rolling works established by Paul Revere helped place Canton among the important manufacturing towns of early Massachusetts. In the nineteenth century the town also became known for the Canton Viaduct, a remarkable granite railroad bridge built in 1835 for the Boston & Providence Railroad. Today Canton’s landscape reflects this blend of industry, transportation innovation, and early New England settlement.