How it Happened

In December 1917, a petition was circulated to change the name of the Village of New Berlin to North Canton. It was signed by 648 petitioners – short of the three-fourths needed. A counter petition to maintain the name New Berlin was signed by 365 petitioners. At the last minute, just before Judge Day was to rule on the issue, 221 petitioners rescinded their counter petition in what was known as the Release Petition. And so, on January 30, 1918, the village was renamed North Canton. (Basner 114-16)