Political Quotes

“I rise today to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Town of Canton, ME. Canton was built with a spirit of determination and resiliency that still guides the community today, and this is a time to celebrate the generations of hard-working and caring people who have made it such a wonderful place to live, work, and raise families. The year of Canton's incorporation, 1821, was but one milestone in a long journey of progress. For thousands of years, the land of fields, rivers, lakes, and forests of what is now Oxford County was the home of the Abenaki Tribe, and Canton Point, or Rokomeko, was the headquarters of the Anasagunticook Band of the People of the Dawn. The reverence the Abenaki had for the natural beauty and resources of the region is upheld by the people of Canton today. In the 1790s, following America's independence, an early settlement called Phipp's Canada was established. Maine achieved statehood in 1820, and on February 5 of the following year, the town of Canton was incorporated. With the mighty Androscoggin River providing power, Canton soon was home to lumber and grain mills, along with many other small industries. When the first paper mill opened in nearby Rumford in 1893, the people of Canton were part of the skilled and dedicated workforce that built a great Maine industry. The prosperity produced by hard work and determination was invested in schools and churches to create a true community.…”