Perry, Georgia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Perry, Georgia
|
|
---|---|
Motto(s):
"Where Georgia comes together"
|
|
Location in Houston County and the state of Georgia
|
|
Country | United States |
State | Georgia |
Counties | Houston, Peach |
Named for | Oliver Hazard Perry |
Area | |
• Total | 27.11 sq mi (70.20 km2) |
• Land | 26.98 sq mi (69.87 km2) |
• Water | 0.13 sq mi (0.34 km2) |
Elevation | 364 ft (111 m) |
Population
(2020)
|
|
• Total | 20,624 |
• Density | 764.53/sq mi (295.19/km2) |
Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
ZIP code |
31069
|
Area code(s) | 478 |
FIPS code | 13-60340 |
GNIS feature ID | 0320389 |
Website | , |
Perry is a city in Houston and Peach counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the county seat of Houston County. The population was 13,839 at the 2010 census, up from 9,602 at the 2000 census. As of 2019 the estimated population was 17,894. It is part of the Warner Robins, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area, within the Macon–Bibb County–Warner Robins Combined Statistical Area.
Perry is best known as the location of the annual Georgia National Fair.
Contents
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.
Perry is perhaps best known as the location of the annual Georgia National Fair.
Ante-bellum industry in Perry included gristmills, sawmills, and cotton gins. The Houston Home Journal (now the Houston Times-Journal) began publishing in 1870. Robins Air Force Base in nearby Warner Robins has been a significant employer since World War II. 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).
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. President Jimmy Carter's family frequented the hotel. The downtown area is home to several quaint shops and restaurants. In the early 1960s Interstate 75 passed through the western side of the city, bringing 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.
A resort country inn in Perry, Henderson Village, opened in 1998. It serves as a destination for retreats and hunting.
A few of the city's best known natives are ABC News correspondent, Deborah Roberts, former Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn, chillwave musician Ernest Greene (better known by his stage name Washed Out), and Mildred Warren Evans, the Home Journal columnist whose 1969 book, The Art of Southern Cooking (ISBN 0-517-34664-8), remains in print as of 2006[update].
Geography
Perry is located at 32°27′54″N 83°43′16″W / 32.46500°N 83.72111°W (32.464940, -83.721163). It is on Big Indian Creek, a tributary of the Ocmulgee River.
Perry is located along Interstate 75, and also U.S. Highway 41, south of Atlanta and Macon, Georgia. Interstate 75 is the major north-south artery through Georgia. U.S. Highway 341 also passes through Perry.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.4 square miles (42 km2), all of it land.
Culture
Dogwood Festival
The Dogwood Festival is held the second weekend of April each year in historic downtown Perry. The Perry Chamber of Commerce stages this event as a way to bring local people together to celebrate the beauty of Perry in the spring and to invite all to discover the city's unique downtown area. For each festival there is a pageant, arts and crafts, food vendors, kids zone, youth entertainment stage, dog dock diving competition, and a hot air balloon rally. The 2015 festival marks the 27th year the festival has taken place.
Buzzard Drop
The City of Perry and Perry Main Street ring in the new year by presenting the Perry Buzzard Drop each New Year's Eve. The event includes live entertainment, spirits sold on site, and souvenir memorabilia.
Georgia National Fair
The Georgia National Fair is a state-sponsored fair that is held every October at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter in Perry. The fair is an 11-day event offering a wide range of activities and shows, such as agricultural, livestock and horse shows, home and fine arts competitions, youth organization events (4-H, FBLA, FCCLA, FFA, and TSA), circus, midway rides and games, fair food, major live music concerts in Reaves Arena, family entertainment, and nightly fireworks.
Georgia Artisan Center
The Georgia Artisan Center is a venue where Georgia artisan works are showcased, traded, and highlighted as opportunities for education and celebration. A variety of quality handcrafted Georgia made items, from paintings and textiles to pottery, wood turning, food products, and more are exhibited for sale at the center. The center is currently located inside the Perry Welcome Center. The hours are Monday - Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm and Saturday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Perry Area Historical Museum
The Perry Area Historical Museum was founded to identify, protect and preserve the Perry area's historical landmarks, artifacts and histories of its people. Exhibits include military, social, agricultural, fashion, education, and political memorabilia. Services offered by the museum include a heritage library of local and regional publications, records, documents, family histories, and other research material. Programs offered include guided tours, special events, kids programs, and activities. The hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 10:00 am to 12:00 noon and 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The museum is also open by appointment.
Go Fish Education Center
The Go Fish Education Center takes visitors on an educational journey through Georgia’s watersheds to learn about the diverse aquatic wildlife, their natural habitats and the impact of water pollution. Visitors can see freshwater aquariums, explore underwater habitats, view aquatic wildlife, catch fish in a stocked pond, view a movie exploring Georgia's fishing options and traditions, and try out interactive fishing and boating simulators. The Go Fish Education Center is part of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (Fisheries Management Section). The hours are Friday & Saturday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. The center is reserved Tuesday through Thursday for school field trips and other groups.
Other Attractions
- Historic Downtown Perry
- Perry Independence Day Parade and Freedom Fireworks
- Christmas at the Crossroads
- The Perry Players Community Theater
- Perry Historic Walking/Driving Tour
- Flat Creek Public Fishing Area
- Georgia Grown Trail 41/341
Demographics
Historical population | |||
---|---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± | |
1870 | 836 | — | |
1880 | 929 | 11.1% | |
1890 | 665 | −28.4% | |
1900 | 650 | −2.3% | |
1910 | 649 | −0.2% | |
1920 | 678 | 4.5% | |
1930 | 1,398 | 106.2% | |
1940 | 1,542 | 10.3% | |
1950 | 3,849 | 149.6% | |
1960 | 6,032 | 56.7% | |
1970 | 7,771 | 28.8% | |
1980 | 9,453 | 21.6% | |
1990 | 9,452 | 0.0% | |
2000 | 9,602 | 1.6% | |
2010 | 13,839 | 44.1% | |
2020 | 20,624 | 49.0% | |
U.S. Decennial Census |
2020 census
Race | Num. | Perc. |
---|---|---|
White (non-Hispanic) | 11,152 | 54.07% |
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 7,139 | 34.62% |
Native American | 24 | 0.12% |
Asian | 401 | 1.94% |
Pacific Islander | 15 | 0.07% |
Other/Mixed | 906 | 4.39% |
Hispanic or Latino | 987 | 4.79% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 20,624 people, 6,242 households, and 4,160 families residing in the city.
Notable people
- 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
- Fannie Pettie Watts, a founding member of Zeta Phi Beta sorority
- Willis Hunt, senior federal judge
- Sam Nunn, former United States Senator
- Michelle Nunn, daughter of Sam Nunn, born and partly raised there, later CEO of Points of Light and candidate for U.S. Senate
- Sonny Perdue, United States Secretary of Agriculture and former Governor of Georgia
- 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. Now entrepreneur and owner of VooDoo Wing Company in Auburn, AL and Las Vegas, NV
- Al Thornton, former NBA player for Los Angeles Clippers, Washington Wizards, also the Golden State Warriors and former Florida State Seminoles basketball standout.
- Richard Ray, former United States Representative.
- 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
- Kanorris Davis, former Troy University Trojans linebacker and NFL New England Patriots safety/linebacker, currently a free agent
See also
In Spanish: Perry (Georgia) para niños