Perry, Georgia is turning 200 years old in 2024 and Mayor Randall Walker is discussing the significance of the year-long celebration!
The celebration will include events, historical tours, community pop up parties, official merchandise, and more!
Perry was founded in 1824 and named in honor of Oliver Hazard Perry, a War of 1812 hero. Perry began as an antebellum industry, including gristmills, sawmills, and cotton gins. Perry was formally incorporated in 1824 as the first municipality in Houston County.
Perry is now known as a premier community of choice and truly “Where Georgia Comes Together.”
Listen to learn more about how you can participate in Perry's 200th Birthday Celebration in 2024!
If you like Inside Perry - subscribe and share the podcast with friends and family. The podcast is available on all major podcast platforms.
Visit us at perry-ga.gov.
We hope to see you around in our amazing community...Where Georgia Comes Together.
Perry, Georgia is turning 200 years old in 2024 and Mayor Randall Walker is discussing the significance of the year-long celebration!
The celebration will include events, historical tours, community pop up parties, official merchandise, and more!
Perry was founded in 1824 and named in honor of Oliver Hazard Perry, a War of 1812 hero. Perry began as an antebellum industry, including gristmills, sawmills, and cotton gins. Perry was formally incorporated in 1824 as the first municipality in Houston County.
Perry is now known as a premier community of choice and truly “Where Georgia Comes Together.”
Listen to learn more about how you can participate in Perry's 200th Birthday Celebration in 2024!
If you like Inside Perry - subscribe and share the podcast with friends and family. The podcast is available on all major podcast platforms.
Visit us at perry-ga.gov.
We hope to see you around in our amazing community...Where Georgia Comes Together.
Welcome to this special 200th celebration edition of the Inside Perry podcast. And of course, I am joined by Perry Mayor, Randall Walker, as we talk about Perry's 200th birthday party. So in 2024, this kicks off a year long celebration of Perry's 200th birthday, which was established in 1824. So when we're talking about year long celebrations, we're talking about all kinds of special happenings throughout the community. We're going to host community pop up parties with the antique fire truck that will go in certain communities throughout the year, where you can stop, take pictures and get a little bit more information about the community that you live in that's turning 200 years old. We're going to partner with the peri area historical society for some historic tours, which I'm super excited about everything from evergreen cemetery tours to downtown walking tours. And of course the Christmas trolley tours that I absolutely love. We're also going to be selling official 200th Perry birthday merchandise, which will include t shirts, hats, so that way you can show your Perry pride all year. Of course, we're also going to have self guided tours that were also made in part with the Perry Area Historical Society, as well as the Visit Perry Convention and Visitors Bureau. So this year long celebration of Perry's 200th birthday is going to kick off at the 2023 Buzzard Drop only a few days away, Mayor Walker. So I guess the most important question, or the first question that we're going to get asked is why are we going to celebrate and make such a big deal about Perry's 200th birthday?
Mayor Randall Walker:Uh, you know, this is a very important celebration. Just think of how few cities have the opportunity or have had the opportunity for that case to celebrate 200 years of operation. As we all know, Perry started in 1824. We were formed as a city on December the 9th of 1824 by the state legislature.
Tabitha Clark:That's our official birthday, December 9th.
Mayor Randall Walker:That is our official birthday. You know, we're the county seat. We have been the county seat of Houston County for 200 years. And, uh, that makes me extremely proud. And, you know, I just can't imagine, you know, how people lived during that period. And if you look at the history of growth we've been a very slow growth community up until recently, and we've had some very rapid growth over the last 20 years.
Tabitha Clark:We're making up for lost time, I think.
Mayor Randall Walker:I think we are, and you know, I think that it's just appropriate that we celebrate All of the people over the last 200 years that have made Perry the great place it is to live.
Tabitha Clark:Let's kind of start at the beginning of what we know as Perry, which actually wasn't named Perry at the beginning. Tell us a little bit about the little settlement of Wattsville, Georgia.
Mayor Randall Walker:It was a relatively small town, had virtually no streets at that time, if you think about it. It was basically just paths going from one settler's house to the other settler's house. And this was a couple of years before we were formed as a city. So it is a very humble beginning. It was an agricultural community that people liked living in. And they have, this has continued to be the basis of, you know, our existence here in Perry is agriculture. And so, I think it's something that we all need to look at how our history has continued to evolve, but we have continued to maintain that same, agricultural foundation, if you will, here in our community is still a very important part of what we do each and every day here in Houston County.
Tabitha Clark:So you think about, you know, like you said, how much we've evolved and, you know, how much we've grown and everything, but our, our basis has stayed the same ever since. Around 1820s, things like that. So that really talks about the importance of agriculture to our lives, both back then and now.
Mayor Randall Walker:Well, it really is. I mean, if you ride through all the pine forest that you see here in and around Perry, and it also, if you go shopping at Publix, you can look at the cotton fields on both sides of the store. So we have agriculture right here in downtown Perry.
Tabitha Clark:So we're going to talk also about kind of like the early years. So like 1824 ish to about 1912, let's say. The original city limits of Perry actually formed a rough circle within a half mile radius from the courthouse square. Now this is except for where of course, big Indian Creek formed a natural boundary for the city and the really cool thing that we've done for this year long celebration is we've actually marked those city limits with signs.
Mayor Randall Walker:That's correct. We have the original city limit signs on all major thoroughfares coming into the downtown area. So you can actually see where our first or I guess original original city limits signs or city limits existed.
Tabitha Clark:Before we go further, where did Perry get its name from? How did it go from Wattsville to Perry?
Mayor Randall Walker:It's part of history. It goes back to the War of 1812 when Oliver Hazard Perry was in a fight, I guess it was a naval fight, that he was highly successful in winning and the people of Wattsville thought, hey, this would be great. We'll name it after a hero, Oliver Hazard Perry, and that's where it got its name.
Tabitha Clark:So we are now known as Perry. So within the early 1900s, Perry became the center of business for Houston County, such as small industries, including gristmills, sawmills, cotton gins, a lot of the things that we know throughout history. So Mayor, when you're talking about growth, it You know, the population during this time stayed relatively small. According to the 1870 census, it was only about 836 people compared to what do we have today.
Mayor Randall Walker:We're a little over 24, 000 people today.
Tabitha Clark:That's a big difference. It's a large difference. It really is. You know, so obviously significant growth didn't come until about around the 20th century. So let's talk about past 1912 into about 1940 ish. What about Perry becoming kind of like a business center?
Mayor Randall Walker:It did come become a business center in that late 19 hundreds saying 1920. mm-Hmm. 1925. And amazingly enough, you talk about celebrating the 200 years, we have a great deal. to celebrate. If you think about the large number of stores that exist on Carroll Street that were built around 1915 to 1925, they're still viable. They're still producing income for people who operate the stores. I look around town at the number of homes that are still standing that were built. In the 1914 1915, people are still living in them, and there are just beautiful, majestic homes here in our historic district, and I just think it's, you know, makes me feel proud that we've been able to preserve that history, and our families can enjoy that history now.
Tabitha Clark:Right, and you talk about, we were just going through looking at the holiday light displays throughout Perry the other night, and we came across, in that historic district, those beautiful houses that they've made, meticulously maintained, and they're beautiful. You just don't find houses like that anymore.
Mayor Randall Walker:It's difficult and we have a lot to be proud of in preserving our history and I think celebrating that history and celebrating the success that all of us have enjoyed over the 200 years,
Tabitha Clark:You know, going in from 1945 ish. We call this period between 1945 and 1990, kind of like the post war boom, and this is where things really start heating up here in the area. In June of about 1941, a regional effort succeeded in gaining approval from the U. S. War Department to construct what is now known very popularly as Robbins Air Force Base. Because of that, and because of I 75 completed in the, kind of in the 1960s, that's when the population from Perry really started to, you know, start its acceleration. And talking about agriculture, Mayor, you know, around 1990, Perry really cemented its status as the center of agricultural with the Georgia National Fairgrounds and AgriCenter. And this especially the fair regularly brings in more than half a million people to Perry each October. That's a far cry from the 800 people that started in Watkinsville.
Mayor Randall Walker:That is true. You have to think about how we have grown. And if you think about that period from From 1970 to around 2000, we virtually had no growth during that 30 years. Our growth has reflected the growth at Robbins Air Force Base. As Robbins continued to grow, then Perry continued to grow. And as it has grown to the south, we're seeing more and more development coming into Perry at this time.
Tabitha Clark:Right. And, and talking about tourism and economic development and everything, the Georgia National Fairgrounds and AgriCenter, they have something going on all the time. We have people from all over the world, really, especially the nation that come. to Perry, Georgia, you know, to compete and, and really celebrate agriculture.
Mayor Randall Walker:They do. As I travel the state talking to other mayors and people who live in other communities, if I say Perry, they're going to say National Fairgrounds because they have either shown animals here or their children have shown animals here. And, and we have to think, we talk about the 10 days of the fair, and we have about a half a million people, but the rest of the year, we have over a half a million people virtually every weekend to participate in some type of function that's going on at the fairgrounds.
Tabitha Clark:Let's see, we have like horse shows, dog shows. They also have the antique farm equipment kind of museum that comes in. That, that's really, really neat if you've never seen that before. But yeah, they've got something coming in all the time. It's, Perry's a hub.
Mayor Randall Walker:It is. It's where Georgia comes together.
Tabitha Clark:That's right. It's perfect tagline, isn't it? All right. So how about, you know, the 90s Mayor through now? I mean, what, what's going on now?
Mayor Randall Walker:Well, we just keep seeing economic development here in our area. Our last celebration was the Jack Link's plant, who's going to bring 800 new jobs to Perry. Of course, you got Sandler. There's Frito Lay. People have to remember Frito Lay is part of Perry's fabric as well, as well as Purdue. And so, we do have some very, very successful businesses and industrial partners here in the Perry area.
Tabitha Clark:Absolutely. And then of course, you know, you can't talk about Perry and its growth and its draw to people without talking about downtown. I mean, it's become a premier location, not only for businesses, but also for leisure events, dining, things like that. It's, I know people would be astounded to see what it's grown into that haven't been here for several years.
Mayor Randall Walker:Yeah. Every time someone comes back that hasn't been here for four or five years, they are completely amazed at the type of growth that we're having. And you know, of course, we have all kinds of celebrations going on this week. We're celebrating a football championship, the first one in 70 years. I noticed on the Food Network. The other day that we've got a champion cookie cup.
Tabitha Clark:Yep. We've got, um, sweet Evelyn's who just won the food network challenge. And also really talked to a lot of great things about Perry too. So we appreciate that as well. And the national stage,
Mayor Randall Walker:He's quite a, you know, he does very, very well at producing the products that he produces and I'm amazed at the number of people who line up on the sidewalk to buy those cookies.
Tabitha Clark:Oh I sure did. I had a candy cane one the other day and I need to go back and get about two dozen just for myself because it's superb, wonderful. So Mayor, you're not from Perry originally, so.
Mayor Randall Walker:That's true. Born and raised in Warner Robins
Tabitha Clark:So close. What about whenever you really establish roots in Perry? I want to know what your first impressions were.
Mayor Randall Walker:Well, let's go back further than that. Okay. Because I think most people know my wife and she was born and raised here in Perry. In fact, she was born at Dr. Gallimore's clinic up on Carroll Street. And in my high school years, I spent far more time in Perry dating her. That's right. Than I did. in Warner Robins. And so my first memories are attending church at the First Baptist Church here in Perry with her and many things that I enjoyed with her family here. The old Perry golf course, when it was only nine holes. And, oh, wow, that's a quick game. And we actually saw it expand to 18 holes, uh, in the late sixties. And so that was my first impressions. But, you know, after retiring from my lifelong career, we decided that. Perry was the kind of place we wanted to come back to and it was a city that was welcoming to everyone in a place that you really wanted to live and you loved your neighbors and you loved what opportunity you have each and every day here.
Tabitha Clark:It drew you back. So even though you went other places and you experienced all these great things, Perry just has that charm that just continues to draw you in.
Mayor Randall Walker:There's no question about it. Evidently it's where a lot of people want to be. That's right.
Tabitha Clark:That's right. And I, you know, we always talk about several episodes on this podcast about doing the quality of life. And I, I think back about those, you know, 800 something settlers. They just wanted just a simple quality of life, just trying to make it, you know, but also enjoying life. And I think for the past 200 years, and even now, I think that yourself and council and city staff want to have that same feeling.
Mayor Randall Walker:I think you're exactly right. I know that the focus, my focus, and I'm the same focus of the council is to preserve that quality of life and that special feeling that you have about the city of Perry. We are dedicated to protecting that as we continue to grow. And the people want to enjoy that, it's our responsibility to ensure that it survives.
Tabitha Clark:Right, because that's what makes Perry, Perry. That's exactly right. And if you take, you take that away and you're just like every other town. Exactly. And that is not what we want to be. That is not what we're going to be. That's right, that's right. As we are about to kick off the, the year long 200 celebration of Perry, there's several ways that our listeners and anyone that can actually get involved. So as I was talking about the pop up parties, Mayor, we're going to take the antique fire truck out into the communities. A lot of people haven't seen that.
Mayor Randall Walker:That'll be a lot of fun. I can tell you that.
Tabitha Clark:Yes. So we're going to have, you know, pictures and we have this really neat booklet that has some information about Perry's history and just a fun way to take the celebration to the community. I know a lot of community members and visitors visit our events, but we want to give it that really small town feel to where it's like we come to you. You see that antique firetruck coming in and, and hopefully that brings about a special memory. So we also have the official 200 celebration merchandise. We have two shirts, one features kind of downtown. The other ones features kind of a modern look and then the hats that we have as well. So those will be on sale at the welcome center at city hall Monday through Friday, and then we will also be selling them at events. And I'm sure that you'll see the mayor with at least a hat on. I'm sure you will. Also another way, if you go on our website, we'll have a 200 celebration button right on the homepage. That'll take you to the official 200th Perry website. And we are all about pictures and memories of Perry's past. So if you look on there now, we have a lot of like. Older pictures of police and fire and other community members, either in clubs, it's just really neat to look back and see what they were doing in Perry, you know, a couple of decades ago, or even several, you know, a lot about what you were talking about. The Historical Society has really provided us with some really neat, really old pictures of Perry, basically when it, since its conception. If anybody has pictures, whether it's. hundreds of years old, or even if it's just your favorite Food Truck Friday picture, we want you to submit those to kind of put into our archives. I know that you and Mrs. Walker probably have a lot of those.
Mayor Randall Walker:We do. We've been very fortunate to be able to accumulate, uh, pictures that go back to the period of the late 1800s, on up to many of the current events that we have a attended over the last five or six years. And so it's always fun looking how Carroll street has transformed from where it was. In the early 1900s to where it is today, being just a fabulous, beautiful downtown area, just a premier location that you just everybody wants to be in. So, like I said, it doesn't have to be super old pictures, just your favorite Perry memory. You can actually upload those on the website, um, and submit those for all to enjoy.
Tabitha Clark:And then, of course, you know, we are a very social city. We're going to have a ton of social media content on all Facebook, Instagram, anything you can name. So we're actually doing a lot of trivia too. You may see the mayor on there trying to give you a trivia question. So, you know, make sure you stump them.
Mayor Randall Walker:We might even give a hat away every once in a while.
Tabitha Clark:Well, you know, we're also that's funny you say that because we also are going to do a scavenger hunt you can do by yourself. Um, within downtown, all of our historic plaques that we have, you get a little card and you fill in one of the words that are missing and then you are eligible to win a Perry prize pack with lots of cool Perry stuff. Wonderful. Yeah. So, you know, it's, it's going to be an absolute fun celebration. We want it not only to be. entertaining, but we also want it to be educational and mean something to us here in 2023 2024. We have to make sure that we continue to communicate that history. So people remember where they came from.
Mayor Randall Walker:There's nothing greater than being the mayor. of the city of Perry when we celebrate our 200th birthday.
Tabitha Clark:Awesome. So, so we can say it now because it's finally here after a couple of years worth of planning. So, we can say happy birthday Perry with their 200th birthday.
Mayor Randall Walker:Happy birthday, Perry.
Tabitha Clark:Happy birthday, Perry. Thanks for listening to this special edition of the Inside Perry, Georgia podcast. Perry is celebrating 200 years in 2024. We're hosting a year long celebration with events, historical tours, community pop up parties, official merchandise. more. Make sure to subscribe to the Inside Perry podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear exclusive episodes from the Perry Area Historical Society. Visit our website at perry ga. gov for more information about Perry's 200th birthday celebration. We hope to see you around in our amazing community where Georgia comes together.