- Perry is known as the “Tree Capital of the South” due to its significant timber industry and forestry history.
- The town was originally called Rosehead but was renamed in 1875 after Florida Governor Madison Starke Perry.
- Perry is home to Forest Capital State Museum, which celebrates the importance of forestry to Florida’s history and economy.
- The Annual Florida Forest Festival is held in Perry each October, featuring professional lumberjack shows, a parade, and a World’s Largest Free Fish Fry.
- Perry has a rich railroad history, with the Georgia Southern and Florida Railroad having played a crucial role in the town’s development.
- The area surrounding Perry is known for natural attractions including the Steinhatchee River, Econfina River, and numerous natural springs.
- Perry was significantly impacted by the “Pine Beetle Epidemic” in the late 1940s, which destroyed thousands of acres of pine trees and threatened the local economy.
- The town is the county seat of Taylor County, one of Florida’s more rural counties.
- Perry has a unique coastal prairie ecosystem called the Big Bend Seagrasses Aquatic Preserve, which contains some of the most pristine seagrass beds in the United States.
- The historic downtown area of Perry features architecture from the early 20th century and has been the focus of preservation efforts.
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