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Perry, New York facts for kids

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Perry
Town hall
Town hall
Location within Wyoming County and New York
Location within Wyoming County and New York
Perry is located in New York
Perry
Perry
Location in New York
Country USA
State New York
County Wyoming County
Area
 • Total 36.65 sq mi (94.92 km2)
 • Land 36.41 sq mi (94.29 km2)
 • Water 0.24 sq mi (0.63 km2)
Elevation
1,440 ft (440 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 4,616
 • Estimate 
(2016)
4,402
 • Density 120.92/sq mi (46.69/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
14530
FIPS code 36-57254
GNIS feature ID 0979354

Perry is a town located in Wyoming County, New York, in the United States. In 2020, about 5,813 people lived here. The town was named after Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, a famous naval officer.

Perry is on the eastern side of Wyoming County. There is also a village called Perry located within the town. The town is known as the "home of the Silver Lake Sea Serpent." This name comes from a story about a sea serpent seen in Silver Lake in 1855. People still celebrate this story with images of the serpent around town. In 2016, an artificial serpent was even placed by Silver Lake!

The Village of Perry joined the Tree City USA program in 2017. This program helps communities care for their trees. U.S. Route 20A is a main road that goes through the town.

History of Perry

The Town of Perry was created in 1814. It was formed from a part of the Town of Leicester, which is now in Livingston County. Interestingly, another town named Perry was formed at the same time in Cattaraugus County. That town later changed its name to Perrysburgh in 1818. Over time, some parts of the Town of Perry were separated to create new towns.

Famous People from Perry

Several notable people have connections to Perry:

  • Chester A. Arthur, who became the twenty-first President of the United States, spent some of his childhood years in the Village of Perry. He was born in Fairfield, Vermont.
  • Irving C. Tomlinson, a Universalist minister who later became a well-known Christian Scientist, was born in Perry in 1860.
  • Edward Austin Sheldon grew up in Perry Center, a small community within the town. He founded the Oswego Training School, which is now known as the State University of New York at Oswego.
  • Landscape artist Lemuel M. Wiles was from Perry. He even had an art school at Silver Lake. Many of his paintings, including scenes from the local area, can be seen at the Perry Public Library. His son, Irving Ramsey Wiles, also became a famous portrait artist.

Population and People

Historical population
Census Pop.
1820 2,317
1830 3,831 65.3%
1840 3,082 −19.6%
1850 2,832 −8.1%
1860 2,452 −13.4%
1870 2,342 −4.5%
1880 2,571 9.8%
1890 2,928 13.9%
1900 3,862 31.9%
1910 5,360 38.8%
1920 5,400 0.7%
1930 5,086 −5.8%
1940 5,251 3.2%
1950 5,342 1.7%
1960 5,372 0.6%
1970 5,367 −0.1%
1980 5,437 1.3%
1990 5,353 −1.5%
2000 4,876 −8.9%
2010 4,616 −5.3%
2020 5,832 26.3%
2022 (est.) 5,813 25.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2010, there were 4,616 people living in the town of Perry. Most of the people (about 96.2%) were White. Other groups included Black or African American, Native American, and Asian people. About 3.3% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age of people in Perry in 2010 was about 39.4 years old. About 23.5% of the population was under 18 years old.

Geography of Perry

The Town of Perry covers an area of about 36.6 square miles (94.8 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

The eastern border of the town is also the border of Livingston County. Main roads like Routes 20A, 39, and 246 pass through the town. New York State Route 39 is the main street in the village of Perry.

Community Events

  • New York State Puppet Festival: This festival took place in June 2018 and brought puppet shows to the area.

Places in the Town of Perry

Here are some of the communities and locations you can find in the Town of Perry:

  • Buffalo Corners – A place located north of Perry Center on Route 246.
  • Burke Hill – A location to the west of Buffalo Corners.
  • Perry – This is the main village, located on the southern edge of the town.
  • Perry Center – A small community (called a hamlet) where Routes 20A and 246 meet.
  • Perry-Warsaw Municipal Airport (01G) – A small airport for general aviation, located northwest of Perry village.
  • Silver Lake – The northern part of this lake is southwest of Perry village.
  • Simmons Corners – A location east of Perry Center on Route 20A.
  • Sucker Brook – A hamlet located west of Perry Center on Route 20A.
  • West Perry Center – A hamlet on the western border of the town, along Route 20A.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Perry (Nueva York) para niños

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