Jones Park
Bordered by Main, Elm and Chestnut Streets, Jones Park is the heart of downtown Canton. Jones Park features as its centerpiece a gazebo surrounded by mature locust and maple trees as well as seasonal plantings. The Park has an entertainment stage and a monument to WWI veterans. It is also home to a millennium clock that was dedicated in the year 2000.
Jones Park is host to many of Canton’s events including Art on Main, Canton Cruise-In, the Old-Fashioned Christmas Walk and more!
Reserving Jones Park for an Event
To hold an event in Jones Park or in the downtown area, you must complete a Special Event Application. Requests that include the closure of city streets or parking lots require approval by the City Council, and some events will require a Certificate of Liability Insurance. (see section of application on Insurance).
Because of City Council approval, the Special Event form must be submitted to the Mayor’s office at least 30 days in advance. If you have any questions, please contact the Mayor’s office at 309-647-0065.
Memorial Park Bench Donation
Jones Park and Greenwood Cemetery now welcome donations for the purchase of a memorial park bench. Benches for both locations are dark green, made of recycled plastic lumber, and are of commercial grade to last for many, many years.
Please see the application form below for pictures of the benches, pricing and details. Interested parties can contact the Mayor’s Office at 309-647-0065.
Jones Park History
Jones Park, which is located in the middle of Canton’s central business district, was established in 1830. The Public Square used to be an open field with mud in the rainy season and dust in the dry season. For years, farmers coming to town would park their wagons and buckboards here. In 1882, the center of the Square was enclosed with an iron fence which established it as a park. The park was named in honor of Nathan Jones who donated the land to the city. He, along with Issac Swan, were given credit for founding the city of Canton.
A city water works was established in Canton in 1883 and a deep well was dug in the center of Jones park to supply water for the city. A pumping station constructed of brick was placed over the well and in 1878 a “pagoda” style bandstand was placed above the pumping station. In 1889, the bandstand and pumping station were removed and a new bandstand was built in 1901.
