Perryville dates to 1821, and 10% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 71% of U.S. towns · #66 of 247 in Missouri. What drives it
5 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 8 buildings. Below: 11 old photos and papers, maps from 1911 on, and the census since 1850.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1823.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Perryville’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Perryville is more historic than 71% of U.S. towns, #66 of 247 in Missouri. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Perryville’s overall grade.
Missouri towns list about as much on the Register as the country (a typical Missouri town has 2.4 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Perryville’s 14.1 sits above most of its state (76% of Missouri towns have fewer) while its 12 historic buildings outnumber those of 77% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.4 points). Two sources give 1821.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Perryville’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Perryville was selected the county seat of Perry County by Robert T. Brown, Joseph Tucker, and Thomas Riney, who had been appointed to select the seat of justice. In 1821, Bernard Layton deeded 51 acres (210,000 m2) to the commissioners in exchange for one town lot. Fifty-three of the 99 town lots were sold for $1,486.25, which was used to build the first courthouse. The current courthouse is the third such structure. It was built in 1904 at a cost of $30,000. Perryville and Perry County were named for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, Naval hero of the War of 1812.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Perryville. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1923Perryville sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Perryville.
Every building
Perryville, building by building, 1911–1928
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
In 1821, according to Wikidata. Perryville’s post office opened in 1823, and the census of 1850 counted 177 people here.
How does Perryville rank for history?
Perryville is more historic than 71% of U.S. towns, #66 of 247 in Missouri. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Perryville?
5 listings: 4 buildings, among them the Shelby-Nicholson-Schindler House (listed 1974, the first), and 1 historic district, the St. Mary's of the Barrens Historic District, with 8 contributing buildings. 12 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Perryville?
10% of Perryville’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.4 points), against a typical 8.4% for a Missouri town; the median home was built in 1974.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (11), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (5), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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