Canton, Texas

Canton is a city in east Texas.

It is known worldwide for First Monday Trade Days, a giant flea market which is actually held on the Thursday-Sunday before the first Monday of each month. The market grew out of informal trading held before the day on which court sessions for Van Zandt County (of which Canton is the county seat) were held (in the days when judges actually "rode circuit"). The city attempted to discourage the practice, but realizing that it could be profitable to the city, purchased large tracts of land to house the event (for many years the sales taxes collected kept the city from assessing property taxes on residents).