Twenty years 'fore the Depression

Peter Thomson staked his claim

In a little mountain town

Canton was her name

Told everyone that was willin'

Steady work would be their reward

So they started makin' paper

Where the Pigeon River forks

But this ain't just another papertown on a random riverside

She was built with blood, sweat, and tears and a whole lot of pride

From the mountains and the farmlands, 'round the smokestack she has grown

This ain't just another papertown, it's the one that I call home

When Wall Street was crashin'

The mill kept goin' strong

While Hitler's war was ragin'

Everyone worked twice as long

There's been mergers and sellouts

Layoffs when times got tough

Talks about pollution

Then cleanin' the river up

This ain't just another papertown somewhere along the tracks

She's seen her share of ups and downs and always bounces back

From the mountains and the farmlands, 'round the smokestack she has grown

This ain't just another papertown, it's the one that I call home

She put food on the table, cars on the highway

Sent kids off to college bound to do things their own way

Through every generation, her influence is clear

She's taken care of young and old for over a hundred years

This ain't just another papertown, it's part of who I am

Molded me as a little boy so I could be a better man

From the mountains and the farmlands, 'round the smokestack she has grown

This ain't just another papertown, it's the one that I call home

This ain't just another papertown, it's the one that I call home