Perry, Florida

History

In 1922, Perry was a very small town of fewer than 2,000 people. During this time, a murder happened and three people were lynched for the crimes. Private retribution against the suspected families and those that gave them support ensued. The Perry Massacre occurred in Perry on the 14th and 15 December 1922, during which whites hanged Charles Wright and attacked the blacks of Perry after the murder of a white schoolteacher. On the day following Wright's lynching two more black men were shot and hanged; whites then burned the town's black school, Masonic lodge, church, amusement hall, and several families' homes.

Firefighters battling a blaze at a natural gas plant in August 1998 were injured when an explosion ripped through the area, sending a mammoth fireball into the sky. The flames destroyed at least six houses and several vehicles and forced the evacuation of 100 homes within two miles of the plant. Four firefighters were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

In August 2023, Hurricane Idalia impacted Florida. Perry was in the path of the storm and suffered damage across the city.

In September 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall near Perry as a Category 4-strength storm, causing major damage and loss of power.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.3 sqmi, all land.

Perry is approximately 50 mi southeast of Tallahassee.

Climate

|Jan record high F = 85 |Feb record high F = 87 |Mar record high F = 90 |Apr record high F = 95 |May record high F = 100 |Jun record high F = 103 |Jul record high F = 104 |Aug record high F = 102 |Sep record high F = 99 |Oct record high F = 95 |Nov record high F = 93 |Dec record high F = 89

|Jan avg record high F = 79.0 |Feb avg record high F = 81.2 |Mar avg record high F = 85.0 |Apr avg record high F = 88.3 |May avg record high F = 93.7 |Jun avg record high F = 96.4 |Jul avg record high F = 96.8 |Aug avg record high F = 96.2 |Sep avg record high F = 94.1 |Oct avg record high F = 90.2 |Nov avg record high F = 85.2 |Dec avg record high F = 80.3 |year avg record high F = 98.3

|Jan avg record low F = 21.9 |Feb avg record low F = 25.2 |Mar avg record low F = 29.1 |Apr avg record low F = 38.0 |May avg record low F = 48.5 |Jun avg record low F = 61.9 |Jul avg record low F = 65.9 |Aug avg record low F = 66.4 |Sep avg record low F = 57.4 |Oct avg record low F = 40.0 |Nov avg record low F = 29.6 |Dec avg record low F = 25.6 |year avg record low F = 20.1

|Jan record low F = 7 |Feb record low F = 14 |Mar record low F = 19 |Apr record low F = 29 |May record low F = 40 |Jun record low F = 46 |Jul record low F = 55 |Aug record low F = 57 |Sep record low F = 42 |Oct record low F = 28 |Nov record low F = 14 |Dec record low F = 10

| archive-date = September 5, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150905085903/http://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=tae | url-status = dead

Demographics

2010 and 2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 6,898 people, 2,443 households, and 1,808 families residing in the city.

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 7,017 people, 2,366 households, and 1,618 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,847 people, 2,661 households, and 1,828 families residing in the city. The population density was 284.6 /km2. There were 3,073 housing units at an average density of 127.7 /km2. The racial makeup of the city was 56.01% White, 41.17% African American, 0.64% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.55% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.65% of the population.

In 2000, there were 2,661 households, out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.4% were married couples living together, 23.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.02.

In 2000, in the city, the population age was spread out, with 28.4% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.3 males.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $25,986, and the median income for a family was $29,602. Males had a median income of $26,595 versus $19,041 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,845. About 23.0% of families and 28.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.0% of those under age 18 and 26.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Students are served by the Taylor County School District. For the 2007–2008 school year, the Florida Department of Education gave the District a "B" grade, with each of its four schools earning a "B" as well.

Taylor County High School's Bulldogs were the 1977–1978 Class 3A football District 3, Region 2 and State Semi-final Champions, losing to Bartow High School in the championship game, 7–0. The 1978–1979 football team were the District 3 champions and lost to Milton High School in the Regional championship game. The 1980–1981 football team were the District 3 champions and Region 2 runner-up, losing to Milton HS in the Regional championship game. The football team won 1997–1998 Class 3A State Championship. In 2010, the Bulldogs completed an undefeated football season going 10–0, claiming the district championship.

Transportation

Perry–Foley Airport is a public-use airport located 3 mi south of the central business district.

The city is served by Perry Shuttle, a bus route operated by Big Bend Transit.

Roads

U.S. Highways

Law enforcement

The Perry Police Department (PPD) is a 24-person agency with four Patrol K-9 teams. To be certified, each handler and K-9 partner receive at least 500 hours of training and, in some instances, as many as 800 hours.

Notable people

• LeGarrette Blount, NFL player
• Ethel Cain, singer-songwriter and artist
• J. Broward Culpepper, university administrator
• Victoria Joyce Ely, World War I veteran and nurse
• Christine Falling, serial killer
• O. W. Jones, politician
• Claude Pepper, law professor and politician
• Herbert St. John, NFL player
• Saucy Santana, American rapper
• Troy Sneed, gospel singer-songwriter
• Rick Tuten, NFL player
• C. Bette Wimbish, civil rights activist and politician

References

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
2. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
3. {{GNIS. 2404505
4. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Perry city, Florida; Taylor County, Florida; United States".
5. "City of Perry, Florida".
6. Henry, Charles P.. (2007). "Long overdue: the politics of racial reparations". NYU Press.
7. Henry, C. Michael. (2004). "Race, poverty, and domestic policy". Yale University Press.
8. "Perry Race Riots".
9. "Perry, FL Gas Plant Explosion, Aug 1998 {{!}} GenDisasters ... Genealogy in Tragedy, Disasters, Fires, Floods".
10. (2024-09-27). "Hurricane Helene kills at least 44 and cuts a swath of destruction across the Southeast".
11. Stillman, Sarah. "[http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/09/03/the-throwaways The Throwaways]." ''[[The New Yorker]]''. September 3, 2012. Retrieved on January 22, 2015.
12. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov.
13. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Perry city, Florida".
14. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Perry city, Florida".
15. "S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES – 2020: Perry city, Florida".
16. "S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES – 2010: Perry city, Florida".
17. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Taylor County, FL". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
18. [http://schoolgrades.fldoe.org/default.asp] {{Webarchive. link. (February 15, 2011 [[Florida Department of Education]]. Retrieved on 2009-03-27.)
19. "Our Schools".
20. "Big Bend Transit {{!}} COORDINATED TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM OF TAYLOR COUNTY".
21. "Perry PD HOME PAGE".