New Canton, Virginia

New Canton is an unincorporated town in northeastern Buckingham County, Virginia, United States. It lies along U.S. Route 15 below the James River, northeast of the county seat of Buckingham. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 23123.

In November, 1793, the Virginia General Assembly decreed that a town to be named "New Canton" was to be established in Buckingham County on the James River, near the mouth of Bear Garden Creek. The twenty five acres of land were located on the bluff above Cannon's Ferry, which had been in operation for many years. This land was to be laid out into lots of one half acre each, with "convenient cross streets running throughout". The main street and one angled cross street were the existing roads that served the ferry. The land was part of an original colonial land grant made to William Cannon on March 1, 1743. The land for the town was donated by Cannon's grandson, also named William, who hoped that the town would grow and prosper, causing his surrounding property to increase in value.

The original 45 lots were to be sold at public auction. Each purchaser was given seven years to build a "habitable dwelling house" on the lot. The dwelling was to be at least sixteen feet square and have either a brick or stone chimney. In addition, a tobacco warehouse was to be constructed and named "Cannon's Warehouse".

Initial sales were slow and nine years later, in 1802, the General Assembly adopted legislation to provide an additional five years for purchasers to build on their lots. The tobacco warehouse had been constructed by January, 1804, on the only one acre lot in town. This warehouse later became known as the "Public" or "Publik" Warehouse and existed well into the 19th century.

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