Welcome to Perry

Perry, like most of the cities in Noble County, includes valuable assets linked to the historical development of the early city. These remnants from the early development of the city are part of what gives Perry its identity.
     Perry was established after the great land run of 1893, the fourth run held by the U.S. government into what is now known as Oklahoma. Perry was a starting point and it is estimated that as many as 100,000 people gathered to try for land in tracts of 160 acres.
     Wharton, the first name used to refer to Perry, was a train station located 1 mile south of the present city. Perry received its name from J. A. Perry, one of the township location commissioners. County "P" as Noble County was then known, was named after the Honorable John W. Noble of St. Louis, the secretary of the Interior in President Harrison's cabinet.
     The Government Land Office located an office in Perry to assist with the land run and handle claim filings afterward. This office remained in Perry for several years and contributed to Perry being named the County Seat of Noble County.
     The Rose Hill School, a traditional one-room schoolhouse was built in 1895 northeast of Perry. In 1971 it was moved to the Cherokee Strip Museum grounds on Hwy 64 east of I-35.
     The Wooleson-Nicewander Building at 615 Delaware Street was built in 1900. It stands as a monument to the entrepreneurial spirit of the early pioneer businessmen of Oklahoma Territory. These businessmen wanted to organize commercial, business, and trade institutions in an area which was still struggling for survival and was mostly an agrarian community.
     The First National Bank and Trust Company building, which is an example of Eclectic American architecture, was built in 1902 at the southeast corner of the downtown square. This was also the year the Malzahn Blacksmith Shop would open on the downtown courthouse square. This business would later grow to become the Charles Machine Works, currently the largest employer in Noble County.
     The Perry Carnegie Library opened as a public library in 1906. The City of Perry obtained a grant of $10,000 from Mr. Andrew Carnegie in 1908 to build the current Perry Carnegie Library, which was completed in 1909.
     Perry National Guard Armory was built in 1936. This building is significant due to association with the Works Progress Administration.
     The current Noble County Courthouse was built in 1915. This building is significant because of its unique architectural design and its importance to the community as a center of Government and an impressive landmark. Among the sites recognized in the historic resources inventory is the Perry Courthouse Square Historic District, which encompasses the downtown of Perry. Courthouse Square acts as an open space for the city residents and visitors and also as landmark and focal point for community activity.

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