In the 1940s, as the tractor came in and the need for horses declined, hog and dog trading took its place. Buyers came from surrounding states to purchase the finest cholera-free pigs sold anywhere. First Monday also became the place to go to find a good hunting dog. Dog trading became so popular that many began referring to First Monday as “Dog Monday.”

By 1965, First Monday Trade Day had outgrown the Courthouse square, so the City of Canton purchased six acres just two blocks from the Courthouse and the sale moved off the square. And while the sale originally took place only on Monday, over the years it grew to incorporate the weekend prior to the first Monday of the month. Today, trade days are Thursday through Sunday prior to the first Monday, and the sale takes place year-round, rain or shine, with booths open from about 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. or dark.

During First Monday’s 150-year history, just about everything has been traded at First Monday. It’s told that in the 1940s, two couples became such good friends during Trade Days that they decided to trade spouses and went to the District Clerk’s Office to pursue the exchange.

During election years, politicians brought their campaigns to First Monday because more voters would be gathered here than at any other event. Still today, it isn’t uncommon to run into candidates for local, state and federal offices walking the pathways of the Original Trade Days Park, talking to voters and taking time to sample the flavors of First Monday.