Perry

History

Founded in 1823 as "Wattsville", the town was located near the center of Houston County and served as its courthouse. The name was soon changed to honor Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, a hero of the War of 1812. The Georgia General Assembly incorporated the town on December 9, 1824. The original city limit was a circle, one mile in diameter, except where bounded on the north by Big Indian Creek.

Antebellum industry in Perry included gristmills, sawmills, and cotton gins. The Houston Home Journal began publishing in 1870. Cotton was the most significant commodity crop in the 20th century.

Tourism has been important to the local economy since about 1920, when U.S. Highway 41 to Florida was paved. The New Perry Hotel, built in 1870 and rebuilt in 1925, became a landmark for many Florida tourists. The hotel was demolished on July 22, 2024, due to its irreparable condition. The downtown area has emphasized its historic heritage and has several quaint shops and restaurants.

Since World War II, when Robins Air Force Base was established in nearby Warner Robins, the military has been a significant employer in the area. Warner Robins is several times larger than Perry. Other manufacturers in the city have included Frito-Lay, Perdue Farms (formally Heileman Brewing Co.), and Cemex, Inc. (formally Penn-Dixie Cement and Medusa Cement Company).

In the early 1960s Interstate 75 was constructed through the western side of the city. It has attracted more businesses that cater to travelers. The Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter opened in 1990. The Go Fish Georgia Education Center opened October 8, 2010.

Mayors

C. E. Brunson (1924 - 1929)

W. E. Swanson (1930 - 1934)

A. M. Anderson (1934 - 1938)

Sam A. Nunn, Sr. (1938 - 1945)

Geo. F. Nunn (1946 - 1947)

Chas P. Gray (1948 - 1949)

Mayo Davis (1950 - 1953)

Stanley E. Smith, Jr. (1954 - 1959)

Milton Beckham (1960 - 1963)

Richard B. Ray (1964 - 1969)

J. Malcolm Reese (1970 - 1972)

John W. Barton, Jr. (1972 - 1974)

James O. McKinley (1974 - 1980)

Barbara C. Calhoun (1980 - 1984)

Lewis M. Meeks (1985 - 1988)

James E. Worrall (1989 - 2009)

James E. Faircloth, Jr. (2010 - 2019)

Randall Walker (2019 - Present)

Geography

Perry is located in west-central Houston County. The city limits extend northwest into Peach County. It is on Big Indian Creek, a tributary of the Ocmulgee River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Perry has a total area of 26.3 square miles (68.1 km2), of which 26.2 square miles (67.8 km2) are land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km2), or 0.48%, are water.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Perry had a population of 20,624, with 7,685 households and 4,160 families. The median age was 34.4 years; 27.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 13.6% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 87.5 males age 18 and over.

93.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 6.4% lived in rural areas.

There were 7,685 households in Perry, of which 39.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.7% were married-couple households, 16.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 32.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 8,170 housing units, of which 5.9% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.6%.

2019 estimate

Circa 2019, of the 13,839 residents, 13,776 of them were in Houston County and 63 were in Peach County.

Arts and culture

The Georgia National Fair is a state-sponsored fair each October at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter in Perry. The 11-day event features agricultural shows, competitions, and midway rides.

The Go Fish Education Center features aquatic wildlife, and is associated with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

The Perry Area Historical Museum features regional historical artifacts.

The Dogwood Festival features a pageant, run, and vendors.

Education

Areas in Houston County are within the Houston County School System (as are all other parts of Houston County).

Areas in Peach County are within the Peach County School District (as are all other parts of Peach County).

Infrastructure

Transportation

Highways include US 41, I-75, US 341.

Perry-Houston County Airport is a general aviation airport located in the city.

Notable people

Alice Culler Cobb (1843-1918), educator, missionary

Kanorris Davis, former Troy University Trojans linebacker and NFL New England Patriots safety/linebacker, currently a free agent

Ernest Greene, chillwave musician, known by his stage name Washed Out

Casey Hayward, cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons, and former Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Green Bay Packers, and Vanderbilt University football player

Courtney Hodges, General and commander of the First United States Army during World War II

Willis Hunt, senior federal judge

Michelle Nunn, daughter of Sam Nunn, born and partly raised there, later CEO of Points of Light and candidate for U.S. Senate

Sam Nunn, former United States Senator

Admiral James Harrison Oliver, Director of Navy Intelligence during World War I, appointed by President Woodrow Wilson to be the first governor of the Virgin Islands

Sonny Perdue, United States Secretary of Agriculture and former Governor of Georgia

Richard Ray, former United States Representative.

Deborah Roberts, correspondent for ABC News

Ron Simmons, WCW/WWE wrestler and former Florida State Seminoles football player

Dontarrious Thomas, former linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers also the Minnesota Vikings and former Auburn University Tigers football player.