The City of Canton has been named a recipient of the 2026 Preservation Service Award by the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, one of the state’s most respected honors in the field of historic preservation. The award recognizes Canton’s leadership in making historic preservation a core pillar of municipal policy, planning, and public investment — a commitment backed by nearly $29 million invested in six major preservation projects since 2018.

"The City of Canton has become a leader in municipal historic preservation by making preservation a core component of policy, planning, and public investment. By consistently choosing rehabilitation over demolition, even amid complex challenges, Canton demonstrates preservation as a long-term public responsibility and a powerful tool for sustainable growth and community pride." - Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation

As development pressure from metro Atlanta has rapidly transformed Cherokee County, Canton’s elected leaders and staff made a deliberate choice to embrace the city’s historic character rather than surrender it to demolition and generic development. In 2020, Mayor and Council adopted the Roadmap to Success, a long-range plan that placed historic preservation and downtown revitalization at the center of Canton’s economic development and civic identity. That vision has since been matched with sustained, meaningful action.

Among Canton’s most celebrated accomplishments is the rehabilitation of the Jones Mercantile Building, a cornerstone of Historic Downtown Canton that had suffered decades of deterioration. A $3.1 million public investment in exterior renovation helped unlock a successful public-private partnership, leveraging state and federal historic tax credits to fuel a multimillion-dollar private rehabilitation. The 42,000-square-foot building now houses approximately 25 businesses and around 50 jobs, including a 19,000-square-foot coworking hub — and the project itself earned a 2025 Georgia Trust Preservation Award.

Canton also saved the former Canton High School at 110 Academy Street, a 1924 landmark once threatened with demolition. The City purchased and renovated the building into its new City Hall, preserving its historic character while modernizing it for municipal use. An upcoming energy-efficiency upgrade through a Schneider Electric partnership demonstrates that preservation and sustainability are not mutually exclusive.

Additional preservation investments include the ongoing rehabilitation of the historic downtown fire station — a circa 1928 Neoclassical Revival building — with an estimated $6 million construction budget; sustained stewardship of the circa 1911 Canton Theatre, including lighting, sound, and façade improvements; and the adaptive reuse of the former downtown Police Department into the Cherokee County History Center. The City also expanded its local historic district in 2025 to encompass the full National Register Historic District, protecting a diverse residential landscape that includes a mill-housing neighborhood and a historically significant Black community.

"This recognition reflects what Canton has always believed: that our historic buildings are not obstacles to growth, they are the foundation of it. We are incredibly proud of what our community has accomplished and grateful to the Georgia Trust for this honor." - Mayor Bill Grant, City of Canton

The Georgia Trust Preservation Service Award recognizes persons, groups, businesses, and government entities that demonstrate exemplary activities and promotion of awareness in the field of historic preservation. The City of Canton will be honored at the Georgia Trust’s annual awards ceremony.

About the City of Canton

Canton is the county seat of Cherokee County, Georgia, and a growing community that prides itself on preserving its historic character while embracing thoughtful economic growth. For more information, visit www.cantonga.gov.

About the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation

The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation is one of the country’s leading statewide preservation organizations, working to protect and preserve Georgia’s diverse historic resources. For more information, visit www.georgiatrust.org.