Follow the River: Etowah Charts Course of City

While just 5 percent of the Etowah River’s 164-mile length is within the city limits of Canton, those eight-and-a-half miles of waterway not only helped establish the city in 1834, but continue to be vital to its growth, prosperity, and quality of life.

Rivers have always attracted settlement and, prior to railroads and interstates, were important routes for commerce. In the 1800s, the Etowah provided a route for shipping raw marble to the Georgia Marble Finishing Works in Canton and also provided the water necessary for the finishing process.

The river was also vital to Canton’s most renowned historic business. The Canton Cotton Mills, which operated from 1899 to 1981, used water from the Etowah in almost every step of its textile production process.

But even as historic Canton businesses located near the Etowah, much of the land bordering the river remained untouched. Over the past decade, the city has developed several large tracts along the river into public parks — with plans to connect them all with a five-mile walking trail — transforming the Etowah River into a beautiful backdrop for community living and leisure.

“There are a lot of cities that wish they had a beautiful river like Canton does,” says Adam Dodson, Canton’s parks and recreation manager. “By creating parks along the river, we are making sure everyone has access and can enjoy the natural beauty.”

Canton operates nine city parks with a combined total of 182 acres. The parks are well maintained and offer a variety of recreation facilities including basketball, racquetball and tennis courts; baseball, soccer and lacrosse fields; playgrounds, pavilions, picnic tables, and canoe put-ins at Etowah and Boling Parks. And then there are the events.

“I’m not sure people understand the scope of activities that take place in our parks,” Adam points out. “There are sports, concerts, festivals, 5K races, the farmers market - on an almost daily basis there is something happening in one of our city parks.”

Plans for the city’s parks align with two of the priorities recently identified by the City Council, sustaining the natural environment and connecting citizens to parks and recreation, Lauren Johnson, the city’s communications manager, notes. She believes one of the most important benefits of the parks is fostering a sense of community.

“The parks are about bringing people together,” says Lauren. “Whether you just want to enjoy nature, or work out, walk your dog, or go to a festival, there’s always something you can be a part of. Canton’s parks have something for everybody.”

This was featured in the Historic Canton magazine. Read more.