3 Local Secrets from Canton, SD You Won’t Find in a Guidebook
Canton is one of those towns that just gives you a sense of 'home' the second you drive down Main Street. But behind its classic small-town charm and scenic views sits a history filled with some surprising twists, bizarre geography mix-ups, and hidden local spots that most people drive right past without ever even noticing.
Whether you’ve lived nearby for years or you're just passing through, here are three local secrets about Canton that you won't find in any standard travel guide.
How Canton Got Its Name Might Surprise You
Outsiders assume Canton was named after a town in Ohio or Illinois. Locals know early settlers named it in 1868 because they genuinely believed the site was the exact geographic antipode (opposite side of the earth) from Guangzhou (Canton), China. As it turns out, Canton's antipode is nowhere near China (it's in the Indian Ocean), but it's too late to turn back at this point, right?
The "Hidden Springs" of Newton Hills
Located just a few miles south of Canton is one of the most beautiful state parks in all of South Dakota - Newton Hills. Visitors go to Newton Hills State Park for the main hiking trails, but locals head straight for the natural spring-fed creeks hidden deep in the hardwood timber, which stay cool even in the dead of August.
The Deep History of the Hiawatha Asylum
The Hiawatha Asylum for Insane Indians (known as the Canton Asylum) was a federal psychiatric facility in Canton.. Opened in 1903 and closed in 1934, locals know the unnerving history behind this small piece of land just outside town that housed roughly 400 individuals.
You can read more about the history of the Hiawatha Asylum here.
South Dakota Is Home to World's Largest Pheasant
Gallery Credit: Randy McDaniel
