Discovering the history of one’s hometown is like uncovering an age-old secret. Because of the Perry Area Historical Society, the public has been made privy to countless pieces of Perry’s unique history that tell the story of the early days of our belovedtown.The Perry Area Historical Society was founded in 1981 by a group of local citizens who desired to educate the community on Perry’s rich history. Today, the organization operates with a president, vice president, four board members, a secretary, treasurer, and many volunteers. President Ellie Loudermilk explains, “In the early days, they didn’t endeavor to take on large preservation projects.”Since that time, Ellie says they have expanded the Perry Area Historical Society to identify, protect, and preserve the history of Perry while providing educational resources and programs to interested community members.Ellie has served as president since 2000 and has helped the organization become what it is today. Vice President Jim Lay has served almost ten years, and together they tell me of the exciting objectives they have undertaken throughout the years.“Those projects include renovating Springhill School, the last one-room school in Houston County,” Ellie says proudly. “That is where we have our meetings and other programs.” Restoring and now using the historical schoolroom to help educate the community has brought the history of Perry full circle.“We also renovated a 1931 gas station so that our military history could be showcased.” This restored Depression Era gas station is near Evergreen Cemetery where all five branches of the military are represented. The Sinclair Station includes an exhibit to showcase how the gas station would have run in that time. It is a unique way to honor the history and highlight the ways in which our society has evolved. Additionally, they have spearheaded a project to preserve historical stop signs in the historic district of Perry. In 2009, they opened the Perry Historical Museum to further highlight the local history.In regards to the volunteers that help make this a possibility,Ellie says, “People are involved in lots of different facets of the programs. We have researchers, receptionists, tour guides, and interviewers who go out into the community and record the history.”The museum is a crowd favorite inPerry. The site of the museum is an old home that consists of eleven rooms and is 1907 square feet in total. Jim tells me that each room has a theme, some of which include education, community, dining, and genealogy. In the hallway, they showcase their local artists and authors.To accommodate larger parties, they split off into more intimate groupings and spend an allotted seven minutes in each room. During this time, tour guides share the unique history of Perry and allow guests to observe the historical artifacts they have acquired.The museum attracts visitors from all over the world to include the 50 states and 16 foreign countries.Every aspect of the Perry Area Historical Society, including the Perry Historical Museum, is supported by sponsors and volunteers. Generous donors help keep the local history alive by supporting the organization.Volunteers give of their time and energy to help educate others. Ellie expresses her sincerest gratitude for the purehearts of these people.To keep sponsors up to date on their progress, Ellie says, “At the end of the year, I write a newsletter recapping all the activities that we have had from the previous year and the plans that we have for the forthcoming year.” This allows donors to see exactly how their contributions help the Perry Area Historical Society year after year.”Additionally, they endeavor to fundraise through some unique activities. “We participate in the Mistletoe Market every year which is sponsored by the Balvaunuca Club,” Ellie says. For this event, the Perry Area Historical Society operates a booth where they showcase historical documents and notecards. This provides exposure to those in the community that are unfamiliar with their presence. They also sell their books and solicit new members.In 2023, they were awarded the Governor’s Awards for Arts & Humanities. Ellie shares that no one else in Perry or the surrounding communities has been recognized with this award. They are honored to have been recognized for their efforts to preserve the community’s history in this way. The City of Perry was founded in 1824, and the Perry Area Historical Society has dedicated this year to celebrating the Bicentennial. From Perry’s very own birthday party to tram tours of the historic district, the community is invited to partake in these unique events throughout the year to commemorate the founding of the beloved city.

Ellie tells of the fashion show and luncheon they held in May. For this show, models dressed in period clothing reminiscent of bygone days. They incorporated modern fashion featuring two local stores in downtown Perry.Spectators enjoyed the period costumes showcased as well as the fashion of today. The event included a luncheon,music, and the sale of small craft items.In the summer, the Perry Area Historical Society will participate in the city’s July 4th parade. This fall, they will organize cemetery tours where actors will present the stories of those who are buried there. Over Christmas, they will have educational tours that are holiday themed. This year, they are selling Bicentennial lapel pins and writing pens made out of Perry dogwood. They also have Christmas ornaments made out of Perry dogwood that are lasered with Perry, Georgia.“I have done podcasts for the Bicentennial telling the history,” Ellie says. “I’ve chosen different topics like movie theaters, early hotels, and old houses. It gives us the opportunity to recount our history in a verbal form.”Ellie is extremely passionate about reaching people in different ways and making Perry’s history accessible through various means. “I want to see the history recorded. That is my ambitious quest, to get it recorded in all kinds of mediums,” she says. “We have digitized all the pictures and information that we have received. I have published books, created these podcasts, and provided tours.”They have recovered some historical memorabilia which the publicis welcome to enjoy. Additionally, they have the history of many people who have lived in Perry. As such, they help people with local ancestry to learn more about their family. They have made a name for themselves in this regard having helped people who live as far away as Australia to research their ancestry. Jim speaks fondly of the history of Perry and the joy he has in his continued education on the area. “Every time I turn around there’s something I find out that fascinates me even more,” he says. He admits to enjoying the tangible aspect of history like old relics and artifact the most. The Perry Area Historical Society is pleased to provide the community these unique treasures. From local community members to out of town visitors, the Perry Area Historical Society welcomes everyone to learn more about the quaint town of Perry. Allow them to transport you back in time as you embark on a journey through the history of the charming city of Perry, Georgia.