Perry

Formed November 14, 1819 (47^th county)

Perry County (7,915), Linden (908)

The 1928 dark red brick Classical Revival courthouse serves Perry County.  It is located on a square at Main, Walnut, School, and Poplar streets.  United States Highway 412 is Main Street in this part of town.  C. K. Colley provided the designs.  The courthouse grounds feature veterans’ memorials and a gazebo.  The county was formed on November 14, 1819 from parts of Humphreys and Hickman counties as the 47^th county.  Harrisburg was the first county seat then Linden as of 1821.  Perry County is named for War of 1812 hero Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry.  The county seat was named for a poem by Thomas Campbell (Hohenlinden). 

The area of the county is 423 square miles.  It is 57 out of 95 in the state.  It ranks 88 out of 95 in population in the state.  It has a density of 18.71 persons per square mile making it 95 out of 95 in the state.  Perry County has 22.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 412 crosses east to west through the county from Lewis County to Decatur County.  The county looks like a fat sock.  Linden is located in the southern third of the county.  Linden is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 11.5% of the county population.  The Tennessee River forms its western border. 

Perry County government consists of a sheriff, a County Mayor, and 6 Commissioners.  Two Circuit Court Judges, Two Chancery Court Judges, and One General Court Judge serve Perry, Hickman, Lewis, and Williamson counties.  The county is in southwest Tennessee.  Nashville, Tennessee is northeast and Memphis, Tennessee is southwest of the county.  The county center is 7.2 miles Northwest of Linden nearer Pineview.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Humphreys, Hickman, Lewis, Wayne, Decatur, and Benton counties.