Editing Perry, Georgia (section)

==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]].<ref>{{cite book | url=http://www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/p.pdf| title=Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins | publisher=Winship Press | author=Krakow, Kenneth K. | year=1975 | location=Macon, GA | pages=174 | isbn=0-915430-00-2}}</ref> 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.

[[Plantation era|Antebellum]] industry in Perry included [[gristmill]]s, [[sawmill]]s, and [[cotton gin]]s. The ''Houston Home Journal'' began publishing in 1870. Cotton was the most significant commodity crop in the 20th century.

Tourism has been important to the local economy since about 1920, when [[U.S. Route 41 in Georgia|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. The hotel was demolished on July 22, 2024, due to its irreparable condition.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Western |first=Megan |date=2024-07-22 |title=Residents reflect on 99 years as the historic Perry Hotel is torn down |url=https://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/local/perry/demolition-underway-the-new-perry-hotel/93-ac6fc2d8-b4a0-4bdc-8d55-6f9e46dcb3ba |access-date=2025-04-05 |website=WMAZ |language=en-US}}</ref> The downtown area has emphasized its historic heritage and has several quaint shops and restaurants.

Since [[World War II]], when [[Robins Air Force Base]] was established in nearby [[Warner Robins, Georgia|Warner Robins]], the military has been a significant employer in the area. Warner Robins is several times larger than Perry. 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).

In the early 1960s [[Interstate 75]] was constructed through the western side of the city. It has attracted 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://georgiawildlife.com/node/2369 |title=Press Release &#124; Georgia DNR - Wildlife Resources Division |access-date=2012-02-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111026231632/http://www.georgiawildlife.com/node/2369 |archive-date=October 26, 2011 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>