Perry County
County
Perry County Courthouse in Linden
Location within the U.S. state of Tennessee
Tennessee's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°38′N 87°52′W / 35.64°N 87.87°W / 35.64; -87.87
Country	United States
State	Tennessee
Founded	November 14, 1819
Named for	Oliver Hazard Perry
Seat	Linden
Largest town	Linden
Other cities	Lobelville
Government
• County mayor	John Carroll
Area
• Total	423 sq mi (1,100 km2)
• Land	415 sq mi (1,070 km2)
• Water	8.1 sq mi (21 km2)  1.9%
Population  (2020)
• Total	8,366
• Density	20.2/sq mi (7.8/km2)
Demonym	Perry Countian
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes	37097, 37096
Area code	931
Congressional district	7th
Website	www.perrycountygov.com
FIPS county code 47135

Perry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,366, with an average population density of 20.2 persons per square mile (7.8 persons/km²), making it the least densely populated county in Tennessee. Its county seat and largest town is Linden. The county is named after American naval commander and War of 1812 hero Oliver Hazard Perry.

In 1806, the Cherokee ceded to the United States the land that would later become Perry County in the Treaty of Washington. The county was established by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1819 from parts of Wayne County, Hickman County, and Humphreys County. In 1845, the portions of Perry County located west of the Tennessee River were split off to form Decatur County.

Agriculture and forestry are the largest components of the local economy, supplemented by light industry and tourism. Perry County is one of the most economically disadvantaged counties in the state. It was severely impacted by the Great Recession of 2008, at one point having the second highest unemployment rate in the United States, and as of 2020^[update] continues to lag behind the rest of the state in various economic indicators, including income inequality and poverty rates. Transportation infrastructure is limited, and no railroads, commercial airports, or freeways are present in the county.

Over 80 percent of the county is forested. The county's terrain is largely defined by its two major rivers, the Buffalo and the Tennessee, and features ridges and valleys that form tributaries to the rivers. Agriculture and outdoor recreation benefit from plentiful fresh water sources, fertile crop land, and abundant wildlife. Mousetail Landing State Park is the largest protected area in the county and a significant driver of nature tourism in the region.

History

Prehistory and early settlement

Archaeological evidence suggests a significant population of mound building Native Americans in the county, with several mounds located near the Tennessee River at Lady's Bluff.^[1] One of the largest mounds in the state was built between 1000 and 1300 CE in the county on Cedar Creek. Though it has been reduced in size due to erosion and agricultural activity, it still measures approximately 20 feet (6.1 m) high and 120 feet (37 m) in circumference.^[2] Archaeological surveys conducted in the 1970s and 1980s discovered evidence of early Archaic through late Woodland settlement concentrated in bottomland (low-lying alluvial land) in the Tennessee River basin near Mousetail Landing State Park, with evidence of Paleoindian occupation in one site.^[3] More recently, shore erosion associated with increased traffic on the river has exposed burial sites and middens associated with pre-European settlement in the park.^[4] Arrowheads and spear tips associated the Mississippian, Woodland, and Copena cultures have been found along the Tennessee River tributaries in the western half of the county.^[5] One example of ancient Native American statuary, an 8 inches (20 cm) tall female figure unearthed prior to 1868 near a mound in the county, is in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution.^[6]

On January 7, 1806, with the signing of the Treaty of Washington, the Cherokee ceded to the United States a large tract of territory in the south-central portion of Tennessee that included the area that would become Perry County.^[7] Permanent settlement by people of European descent along with enslaved people of African descent began shortly after this treaty was ratified. The area was found to have very productive bottomland with an abundance of water, timber, and wild game. The earliest settlers likely arrived from nearby counties in Middle Tennessee, although some immigrated to the area from North Carolina, Alabama, and Kentucky.^[8]

Between 1810 and 1812, the first gristmill in the area was established on Cane Creek.^[9]: 58 The first known birth of a person of European descent in the area occurred in 1818 along Toms Creek. Some of the early settlers were veterans of the War of 1812, and some had probably received land grants in the area from the state of North Carolina for service in the American Revolution.^[10] It is likely the first settlers arrived via the Tennessee River based on the location of the first settlements being located near natural river landings.^[9]: 28

Formation and early history

In 1819, the Tennessee General Assembly passed an act providing:

... that a new county be established north of Wayne, west of Hickman, and south of Humphreys, by the name of Perry County, beginning at the southeast corner of Humphreys, running west, thence south, thence east, thence north to place of beginning, and to include all the territory lying between Humphreys, Hardin, Wayne and Hickman Counties.

The county, named in honor of Oliver Hazard Perry, was officially organized that same year.^[10]

In 1820, the first court in the county was held in the home of James Dickson (or Dixon) near Lick Creek under a Judge Humphreys. The county's first school was established by Ferney Stanley on Toms Creek the same year.^[10][11] In 1821, the county seat was established in Perryville, a river port located on the west bank of the Tennessee River and originally known as Midtown.^[12] A log courthouse was constructed in Perryville, but was later replaced with a brick structure.^[13] Early in its history, Perryville was a relatively important river port and settlement, with some sources noting David Crockett, Andrew Jackson, Sam Houston, and James K. Polk all having visited the town at some point.^[9]: 32 By 1837, however, the town was reportedly in a ruinous state and described as a "miserable looking settlement" by one traveler, even though it remained the county seat and an active river landing.^[14]

In 1825, the county's militia was formalized as the 68th Regiment, 11th Brigade, Tennessee Militia. Later, in 1827, the county militia was split into two regiments by the state legislature, with one regiment drawing from the area east of the Tennessee River, and the other drawing from the west, marking one of the first legal splits of the county along the river.^[15] In 1830, the settlement of Beardstown was established on a high bluff overlooking the Buffalo River.^[10]

By the early 1830s, significant deposits of iron ore had been discovered in the county. Sufficient quantities were being extracted to justify the construction of a large iron ore furnace on Cedar Creek near the Tennessee River between 1832 and 1834.^[10] At its peak, it processed 1,400 tons of pig iron annually, using both free and enslaved labor, and taking advantage of the most advanced "hot blast" smelting techniques available at the time. By 1838, a community had grown around the furnace, including mills, barracks for free and enslaved workers, a storehouse, blacksmith shops, and other workshops and outbuildings. The furnace shut down in 1862, during the Civil War, and was never brought back in to service. The Cedar Grove Iron Furnace is the only twin-stack iron furnace remaining in Tennessee. In addition to iron ore, some marble mining was conducted in the county in the middle of the 19th century.^{[16][17][18][19]}

In February 1833, the issue of nullification, or the ability of state governments to unilaterally invalidate Federal laws as unconstitutional, was raised in a mass meeting in Perryville. After speakers for and against Federal supremacy were heard, a resolution was passed unanimously supporting the right of the President to execute the laws passed by Congress, condemning the acts of nullification in South Carolina, and reaffirming the necessity of the maintenance of the Union.^[20] On July 10, 1843, the courthouse at Perryville was destroyed in a fire, and through at least late 1844 meetings that would otherwise have been held in the courthouse were held in warehouses along the river. No record exists of a courthouse being re-built in Perryville.^[21][22]

By the late 1830s, the difficulties of conducting government business in a county split by a major river that lacked reliable crossings was becoming more apparent. In 1837, a bill was passed in the state legislature creating an entry-taker's office in the eastern portion of the county, duplicating many of the county government's functions.^{[23]: 94–96} Demands to separate the portion of the county west of the Tennessee River were increasing by 1845, citing the "danger and expense in attending courts...and other business in the county seat " by people living on the opposite side. That year, bills proposing the creation of a new county formed by the portions of Perry County west of the river appeared in the state legislature.^[24][25] In November 1845 the legislature passed an act to create Decatur County from the land occupied by Perry County west of the Tennessee River.^[26] The seat of government and courts were then temporarily relocated from Perryville to a village near the new geographic center of the county known as Harrisburg.^[11]

In 1847, 40 acres (16 hectares) located approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Harrisburg on the west bank of the Buffalo River were donated to the county by David B. Harris for the building of a new county seat.^[10] The town was initially named Milton, in honor of Milton Brown, but when it was discovered that there was already a town of the same name in the state, it was renamed Linden after the Thomas Campbell poem "Hohenlinden".^[9]: 35 The land was divided into plots and a public square, and the plots were sold off to provide funds for the construction of public buildings. Linden was established as the county seat in 1848, where it remains as of 2023^[update], and is the largest municipality in the county. A temporary structure to house the court was built in 1848, and was replaced by a wooden frame building in 1849. Harrisburg no longer exists as an organized entity or recognized location.^[10] During this time period, in 1844, the community of Flatwoods, originally known as Whitaker's Bluff, was established along the Buffalo River in the southern part of the county by a group of settlers from Halifax, North Carolina.^[9]: 50

In 1850, it was reported that there were 10 grist mills, a saw mill, a furnace, and two tanneries in operation within the county. Additionally, 21 churches were organized, as well as 23 schools enrolling 685 students. Corn was the primary agricultural product at the time, though oats, sweet potatoes, and tobacco were also grown in smaller quantities.^[27] In 1854, Lobelville was established as a trading-post village on the west bank of the Buffalo River about 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Beardstown by a French trader named Henri de Lobel.^[11]

By the late 1850s, allegations and rumors of an impending slave insurrection began to spread throughout the southern United States. In 1856, the panic reached Perry County, when multiple enslaved persons were murdered over rumors of the plotting of a revolt.^[28] The total number of people killed by so-called vigilance committees is unclear, with contemporary reports citing as many as 15 being hanged,^[29] and later historical research noting between 10 and 12.^[28]

Civil War

The issue of whether or not Perry County would swing towards Unionist or Secessionist causes was not clear as late as May 1861, when a pro-Union convention was held in Linden to nominate a Republican candidate for Congress.^[30] In June 1861, however, it voted in favor of secession by a margin of 780 to 168.^[31] Even though the vote was overwhelmingly in favor of secession, the Unionist sentiment was strong and pervasive throughout the war, with men from the county volunteering for both sides in the conflict. About 300 men joined the Confederate Army, with about 200 joining the Union Army.^[10] One particularly notable Confederate unit formed in the county was Harder's Company of the 23rd Tennessee Infantry Regiment, raised in 1861 and composed of about 100 men from the Cedar Creek area. This unit fought throughout the war, seeing action at Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Stones River, Chickamagua, and the Siege of Petersburg, after which they surrendered with the Army of Northern Virginia in 1865.^[32]

Both pro-Union and pro-Confederate irregular and guerrilla forces were organized in Perry County, and were known to have conducted raids on neighboring counties.^[33] Of note were the Perry County Jayhawkers, a group of Union-aligned partisans known to have engaged in fighting against opposing partisans in Hickman County and who burned the county seat of Centerville.^[34] Due to the rural, isolated nature of the region, away from the major railway lines and with only limited access to large landings on the Tennessee River, there were no large-scale engagements in the county.^[10] In February 1862, the Cedar Grove Iron Furnace was partially destroyed when it was shelled by Union gunboats USS Conestoga, USS Tyler, and USS Lexington.^[17] On April 27, 1862, a body was found by a group of children playing near Britt's Landing on the Tennessee River in Perry County. Investigation of papers found on the body revealed it to be that of Governor Louis P. Harvey of Wisconsin.^[35] Gov. Harvey had been conducting an inspection of hospitals where wounded soldiers were being treated after the Battle of Shiloh, and had drowned in the river on April 19 while returning to Wisconsin.^[36] In April 1863, the Mississippi Marine Brigade, a Union Army amphibious unit consisting of infantry and a number of gunboats, conducted some activity on the Tennessee River in the county. On the 23rd, following fighting further upriver near Clifton, the flotilla held at Britt's Landing before attempting to pass the shoals at the Duck River just down river.^[37]

Breckenridge's raid on Linden

Before dawn on May 12, 1863, a flotilla under the command of Lt. Cmdr. Ledyard Phelps composed of the USS Champion, USS Covington, USS Argosy, and the USS Silver Cloud landed elements of the Union Army's 6th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment on the Tennessee River 12 miles (19 km) west of Linden. The small force of 55 men led by Lt. Col. William Breckenridge, possibly a native of either Wayne County or Perry County, approached Linden at daybreak. The Confederate forces, totaling about 100 men under Lt. Col. William Frierson, were preparing to depart Linden to join General Van Dorn's force at Spring Hill and were taken completely by surprise. After a short skirmish against pickets, the Union cavalry captured Lt. Col. Frierson and 46 of his officers and men and killed three more before reinforcements could arrive. During this engagement, the county courthouse, which was being held by the Confederate forces, was burned, destroying most records from the early history of the county.^[10][38] The only Union loss during the engagement was one horse.^[39] Breckenridge then returned to the Tennessee River and transferred his prisoners to the awaiting riverboats for transportation to Cairo, Missouri.^[40] Intelligence gathered from the Confederates captured in the engagement provided significant details to Union leadership on the size, location, and intentions of Confederate forces in the Middle Tennessee, including plans to re-capture Fort Henry and attack Union forces under General Rosecrans.^[39] The amphibious landing and battle was recounted on the front page of the May 17, 1863, edition of the New York Times.^[41] Breckenridge later died of disease on October 15, 1863, and was buried at Shiloh National Cemetery.^[42][43]

Battles at Lobelville and Beardstown

A force of about 400 Confederate cavalry under Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest crossed the Tennessee River at the Duck River on or about September 23, 1864, and worked their way south through the Buffalo River valley taking conscripts to reinforce their numbers.^[44] On September 27 or 29 (sources differ on the date) the force was engaged by the 2nd Tennessee Mounted Infantry, numbering about 250 men, at Lobelville. The Confederate forces retreated to Beardstown, and Federal forces attempted to locate them the following day, bypassing Beardstown for Cane Creek. The Confederates had their numbers reinforced to 600 men overnight and pursued the Federal forces east towards Centerville, who retreated through Confederate blocking forces and across the Duck River. The Confederates were then able to take control of Linden and the Buffalo River valley by the 30th.^[45][46][47]

Reconstruction and the late 19th century

Martial law was lifted in the county in April 1865, when the civil court held its first session since Tennessee's secession and the beginning of the Civil War.^[10] At least some civil unrest continued until at least July of that year, when Federal forces were again dispatched to the county to conduct counter-guerilla operations.^[45] Due to the prevalence of small farms in the county, it did not experience the same levels of economic turmoil in counties that relied on plantation agriculture following the war.^[48] In 1868, a new two-story brick courthouse was built to replace the one burned during the war.^[10] Perry County was not immune to Reconstruction era racial violence against black citizens. In 1869, two black men who had been arrested for unknown crimes were removed from the county jail by a mob and shot.^[49]

In the late 19th century, the county was largely known for its tanneries and peanut cultivation. Peanut farming began in earnest in the late 1860s, replacing cotton as the primary export crop of the county.^[9]: 48 By 1886 over 500,000 bushels of peanuts per year were being produced.^[10] In the 1890s, the Southern Peanut Company was incorporated at Britt's Landing, which became the focal point of the peanut processing industry in the county. The dominance of the peanut as the primary cash crop in the county lasted through to the 1920s when the Southern Peanut Company went bankrupt. With the company's bankruptcy, the lack of processing and export facilities caused the market for peanuts in the county to collapse.^{[9]: 48, 52–53}

The first known black-owned farm in the county was established in 1871 on the north fork of Lick Creek. Tapp Craig and his wife, Amy Guthrie, both former slaves, purchased the farm with a down payment of a yoke of oxen, and paid off the farm over the next two years. The farm, still owned by the Craig family, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places due to its significance in the history of black farmers in Tennessee.^[50]

From about 1880 to 1884, the first regular newspaper in the county, the Linden Times, was published weekly.^{[9]: 40–42} By the mid-1880s, the continued lack of railroad connections was reported as a cause for the lack of investment in the county. An 1886 editorial in the Nashville Daily American noted that many in the county were awaiting the construction of the proposed Nashville, Memphis, and Jackson Railroad, and viewed it as an essential step in the modernization and industrialization of the area.^[51] In 1887, Congress authorized the construction of a railroad bridge across the Tennessee River connecting Perry and Decatur counties. The Tennessee Midland Railroad laid tracks from Lexington, Tennessee to Perryville. While a terminus allowing the transfer of goods from rail to river shipping was constructed in Perryville, the bridge was never built and the railroad was never extended into Perry County.^[52] A second attempt to bring a railroad to Perry County was started around 1890 with construction beginning on the Florence Northern Railroad. Plans for the line's extension meant for it to eventually pass through Linden on its way from Florence, Alabama to Paducah, Kentucky.^[53] In 1894 the railroad was purchased by a Chattanooga company after about 30 miles (48 km) had been graded, but construction was never completed.^[54]

Early 20th century

Briefly, in the summer of 1903, Perry County was without a county government. That year the state legislature passed an act consolidating the civil districts in the county, and providing for a new special election to be held that would elect new officers. Due to an oversight in the writing of the act, the new county officers could not be seated until 30 days after the election.^[56]

By 1910, the population of the county peaked at 8,815. It then proceeded to decline to a low of 5,238 individuals in 1970, a number not seen since the census of 1830.^[57] During the First World War, a Selective Service Board was established in Linden. Over 1,500 men registered for the draft, and 254 individuals from Perry County served in the United States military from 1917 to 1919. Out of those who served, 10 were wounded and 27 were killed, a nearly 15% casualty rate.^[58]

In 1927, the county decided to renovate and expand the courthouse. In January 1928, the building burned as it was undergoing restoration. The county government decided to demolish the remains of the old courthouse and construct a new, larger building in the Colonial Revival style which was completed that same year.^[59] Also in 1928, construction started on the first bridge across the Tennessee River in West and Middle Tennessee, connecting Perry and Decatur counties. The bridge, named after World War I Medal of Honor recipient Alvin C. York, was opened on July 5, 1930, by Governor Henry Horton as part of a major road building program to provide additional links between Memphis and Nashville.^[60][61] The crossing would prove to be extremely popular, and was the fourth highest grossing toll bridge in the state in the month after its opening.^[62] This bridge was later demolished and replaced by a modern concrete bridge in 1986.^[63] The construction of the road bridge and completion of the highway reduced demand for rail service in the area, and service to the rail terminal at Perryville was discontinued in 1936.^[52]

By the 1930s, Perry County had acquired a reputation as a hotbed of illicit alcohol production. Its isolated nature on the eastern edge of a Federal law enforcement district meant that prohibition officers rarely operated in the area, allowing moonshine operations to run unimpeded. Liquor would be distributed to dealers in neighboring Hickman County for sale.^[64] Recovery from the Great Depression was slow in the county. By the late 1940s, wages had improved from their nadir in the 1930s, although unemployment was high among the predominant industries of farming and forestry.^[65]

During the Second World War, Perry County was located in the Tennessee Maneuver Area, though it is unclear to what extent exercises occurred within Perry County, if at all. The region was chosen due to its geographic similarity with anticipated combat areas in Western Europe, specifically, the region around the Rhine in Germany. Maneuvers began in June 1941 and training was suspended in March 1944 as Operation Overlord approached.^[66]

Late 20th century

In 1958, Interstate 40 was completed in Tennessee, crossing the length of the state but passing 4 miles (6.4 km) north of the county. Following this, businesses began to leave the county for locations nearer urban areas and adjacent to the highway; and when two garment factories and an automobile parts plant ceased operations, the conditions were set for long-term economic stagnation.^[67]

By the mid 1960s, an effort had commenced to protect areas of the county along the Tennessee River for conservation and recreation. In January 1967, the site at Mousetail Landing, then owned by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), was reported as under study for a future park.^[68] In 1968, a bill was vetoed by Governor Buford Ellington that would have provided funding to acquire land to establish a state park at the landing.^[69] By 1973, the park had seen further planning as part of a chain of four water-oriented parks along the Tennessee River, including Pickwick Landing State Park, Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park, and Paris Landing State Park.^[70] In 1977, Perry County leaders unanimously approved a resolution in support of the development of the park. That year, the TVA offered to give 100 acres (40 hectares) of land to the state, and a matching Federal grant of $1.1 million had been made available for the park's development.^[71] By 1979, the state had finalized plans to build the park and officially asked the TVA to turn over 1,200 acres (490 hectares) of riverfront land between Spring Creek and Lick Creek for the park. TVA approved the land transfer, with construction planned to begin late that year.^[72]

In 1971, an Old Order Mennonite community was established along Cane Creek near Lobelville. Both English as well as Plattdeutsch and Pennsylvania German speaking families settled in the area from other areas of Tennessee, from nearby states such as Arkansas, and internationally from Belize. This community generally avoids motor vehicles, except in certain limited situations sanctioned by their church, and most families are not connected to the electrical grid.^[73]

Nineteen farms in Perry County have been accepted into the Tennessee Century Farms Program.^[74] The program, established in 1975 by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture and now managed by the Center for Historic Preservation at Middle Tennessee State University, recognizes active farms that have been operated continuously by the same family for over 100 years.^[75] Included in the program are the Craig Farm and the Tucker Farm, established in 1818 and the oldest farm in the county.^[74]

Geography and geology

Perry County is located on the western edge of Middle Tennessee. The topography of Perry County is characterized by high ridges separating creeks flowing into the county's two rivers and is typical of the Western Highland Rim region of Tennessee. The highest point in Perry County is approximately 980 feet (300 m) above sea level, located on an unnamed ridge in the far southeastern portion of the county near the borders of Lewis County and Wayne County.^[76]

Rivers

Three rivers are found within Perry County: the Tennessee River, Buffalo River, and Duck River. The Tennessee River runs along the western boundary of the county, Buffalo River bisects the county, and a bend of the Duck River crosses into the county very briefly in its far northeastern corner.^[77] Even though the county's terrain is heavily influenced by the presence of water features, there are no dams in the county registered in the National Inventory of Dams.^[78]

Tennessee River

The Tennessee River forms the western border of Perry County, dividing it from Decatur County and Benton County.^[77] It flows south to north and is navigable through the entire length of the county.^[79] In 1944, with the construction of Kentucky Dam, portions of low-lying land adjacent to the river were inundated, although the societal and environmental impact was substantially lower than areas farther downstream.^[80] While the presence of the dam allows for some level of control against regular, catastrophic flooding along the basin, some areas of the western portion of the county do flood. At the National Weather Service designated flood stage of the river, portions of the county near Crooked Creek are inundated. At moderate and major flood stages, bottomland near Mousetail Landing State Park, Deer Creek, and Cedar Creek are inundated.^[81]

Lady's Bluff, located approximately 11 miles (18 km) west of Linden, is the tallest bluff on the lower Tennessee River, and overlooks the section of the river known as The Narrows. The river is narrow enough at this point that barges cannot pass side by side and must pass through individually. Lady's Bluff Small Wild Area is a small federally protected public access park that includes the bluff and surrounding woodland.^[82] One possibly apocryphal story of the origin of the name of the bluff stems from a supposed incident where a woman was kidnapped and used as bait for an ambush by Native Americans against white settlers encroaching on their land.^[83]

Buffalo River

The Buffalo River flows south to north through the county before entering the Duck River just north of the county line in Humphreys County, and over 25% of the river's total watershed area is within the county. The towns of Linden and Lobelville and the unincorporated communities of Flat Woods and Beardstown are located along the river.^[84] Four river outfitters are located along the river within the county and add to its value as a recreational river.^[85]

Topography and hydrography

Most of the western half of the county forms part of the watershed for the Tennessee River, while most of the eastern half drains into the Buffalo River. A very small portion of the far northeastern corner of the county drains into the Duck River. The water table is high due to the hard substrate, creating numerous springs and shallow wells, and is charged by the Highland Rim aquifer. Typical spring and well yields range from 1 to 400 gallons per minute (4.5 to 1820 liters per minute).^[8]

Buffalo Ridge bisects the county from north to south between the Tennessee and Buffalo rivers. The ridge reaches approximately 700 feet (210 m) above sea level, with a topographic prominence of about 300 feet (91 m). Eight smaller spur ridges extend to the west from the main crest of Buffalo Ridge about 9 miles (14 km), creating the drainages for nine major creeks that flow into the Tennessee River. These creeks are, from north to south, Blue Creek, Crooked Creek, Roans Creek, Toms Creek, Lick Creek, Spring Creek, Cypress Creek, Marsh Creek, and Cedar Creek. To the east of the Buffalo River, additional ridges run east to west, similar to the terrain west of Buffalo Ridge. These ridges form the basins for the main Buffalo River tributaries within the county, Coon Creek, Brush Creek, Hurricane Creek, Short Creek, and Cane Creek.^[48]

Large tracts of natural wetlands exist within the county. One estimate based on analysis of satellite photography by the Tennessee Valley Authority estimated approximately 5,200 acres (2,100 hectares) of forested wetlands and 1,200 acres (490 hectares) of non-forested wetlands. These wetlands occur primarily along stream courses, and are some of the most productive wildlife habitat in the region.^[8]

Soil and geology

Soil deposits from the three river drainages located in the county have created fertile bottomland that are used intensively for agricultural purposes. The soil profile is generally very deep, with slopes and soil types suitable for agriculture and building construction. The ridge tops are well drained and loamy, with significant chert rock deposits. Reserves of chert, sand, gravel, limestone, and phosphate can be found in the county. Cherty limestone deposits are the most extensive geologic feature of the county, and an impermeable siltstone and shale base below the chert formations has led to the emergence of numerous fresh water springs.^[8]

Blue and gray limestone outcrops are present in most valleys of the county. These limestone formations are part of the Lobelville formation of the Silurian Brownsport Group and of the Lower Helderberg Group.^[86] Significant numbers of fossils have been found in the limestone.^[48] By the late 1830s, the fossils of various newly cataloged species of mollusks and trilobites found in the county were described in reports to the General Assembly.^[87] Iron ore is extremely abundant, with numerous deposits to the west of Buffalo Ridge.^[48]

Adjacent counties

• Humphreys County (north)
• Hickman County (northeast)
• Lewis County (southeast)
• Wayne County (south)
• Decatur County (west)
• Benton County (northwest)^[88]

Weather and climate

Perry County has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa), characterized by hot, humid summers and cold winters.^[89] The average winter temperature is 47.8 °F (8.8 °C), and the average summer temperature is 75.7 °F (24.3 °C). The record low of −1 °F (−18 °C) occurred on January 24, 1963, and the record high of 105 °F (41 °C) occurred on July 17, 1980. Average seasonal snowfall is 5.5 inches (14 cm). Thunderstorms are relatively common in the county, with an average of 53 days per year seeing thunderstorm activity, usually between May and August.^[8]

National Weather Service records list sixteen tornadoes which have been reported in Perry County, with the first one recorded in 1909. Out of these, 14 were reported since 1999. The deadliest tornado recorded in the county happened on May 27, 1917, which killed five and injured an additional 67 people. Its intensity was estimated as EF/4.^[90] Perry County was also struck during the May 5, 1999, tornado outbreak. It was hit by the strongest tornado reported during the outbreak, killing three people and causing substantial damage to Linden.^[91] Another deadly tornado hit the county during the December 23, 2015, outbreak, with two killed.^[92]