Perryville, Missouri pulled through the 2017 tornado and is a place worth visiting for its history

Photo byPerry County Heritage Tourism via Facebook.

Perryville is the county seat of Perry County, Missouri located in the southeastern portion of Missouri. According to World Population Review, Perryville's 2024 population is 8,488.

On February 28, 2017, Perryville experienced an EF4 tornado that caused damage in and around Perryville and it traveled to Christopher, Illinois. In Perryville, a 24-year-old man was killed and more than 100 homes were damaged.

Perry County was named and organized on May 21, 1821, in the home of Bede Moore, as indicated by the Perry County Historical Society. Perryville and Perry County were named after Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry who was an American naval officer and notably one of the great heroes of the War of 1812.

Perryville has been described as an outdoor paradise and if you're an outdoors person, this might influence you to visit the area. Perryville is around 75 miles from St. Louis. There are at least four places in Perryville that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places including the Perry County Courthouse.

If you enjoy historic churches, you might want to visit the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal which you can tour. Also, adjacent to the church is the Rosary Walk. The church is also known as Saint Mary's of the Barrens. It's a historic Roman Catholic Church. The church, grotto and half-mile Rosary Walk are located on 55 acres in Perryville.

Photo byMissouri's National Veterans Memorial via Faceook.

Located on 47 acres is the Missouri National Veterans Memorial. It's said to be the country's most replicated version of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. Jim Eddleton, a 1967-68 Vietnam Veteran, along with his wife donated the family farm of 47 acres for the Memorial.

The Perryville Downtown Square is a fun and interesting place to visit. There, you'll find the Perry County Museum featuring history exhibits and various artifacts.

Some outdoor walking options include the Perryville Park Loop at Perry City Park, or the Ball Mill Resurgence Loop for hiking and walking.

Perry County Courthouse, Perryville, Missouri.Photo byMarkkaempfer; modified by Kbh3rd, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Some upcoming events in Perryville include the following:

September 5, 2024: 2nd Annual Chalk Art Festival from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Warehouse Entertainment District in downtown Perryville. You'll also be able to see Missouri artist Craig Thomas.

First Saturdays in September and October 2024: Warehouse Market Days from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. also in the Warehouse Entertainment District.

September 20-21, 2024: Bikers on the Square (BOS) for Veterans is a two-day event for motorcycle lovers.

Perryville has also been chosen as a finalist to host the 2025 University of Missouri Extension Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities (CEC) Conference. If you live in Perryville, your vote is requested by September 16, 2024. Visit here to vote.

Travel in Missouri also provides other suggestions if you're looking for another historic town to visit in Missouri.

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