Rough Map of Alabama 1816

1865 Map of Alabama and Mississippi

Perry County, Alabama 

Perry County was created by legislature the 13th of December 1819 and was named for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, a War of 1812 hero. 

Perry County's courthouse was originally near the Cahawba River and called the "Old Perry Courthouse" between 1819 - 1822 then later established in Muckle's Ridge in 1822 which is the present day site of the city of Marion. 

The Cahawba River in Perry county was thought to be a dividing line between the Choctaw and the Creek Indians with the Choctaw occupying the west side of the River and the Creeks the East. 

Perry County is approximately 790 square miles encompassing 475,200 acres. 

Links of Interest - Further Reading

  • The map on the left from 1865 was found at the website of the Cartographic Research Laboratory of the University of Alabama. Along with many other maps you can find here. Note for Google Chrome users: I found that many of the items on most links are not compatible with Chrome and I would frequently have to change browsers. Just keep that in mind if you seem to be having issues with any of my link suggestions. 

  • If you've never visited the Alabama Department of Archives and History (ADAH) - Be sure to visit them for your information on Perry County with searchable digital databases. 

  • For Perry County history please also read the following from their site which allows you to read all four volumes of the below publications at the given links:  
    "The History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography, written by Thomas McAdory Owen, was published in 1921 by the S.J. Clarke Publishing Company. The company had approached Dr. Owen in 1911 with a proposal that he produce a history and biographical dictionary of the state. Dr. Owen had begun gathering materials and writing a history of Alabama in the late 1890s. He continued this pursuit after his appointment to head the Alabama Department of Archives and History and had almost completed his work when a fire destroyed his home in 1906. From the materials salvaged from his home, Owen felt that he had the history completed and could use the bulk of the Clarke Publishing contract period to write the biographical sketches. However, upon reviewing the papers in the boxes gathered from his home after the fire, Owen found that he would have to rewrite the history and gather all of the biography materials. 

    Dr. Owen worked on the History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography until his death on March 25, 1920. His widow, Marie Bankhead Owen, completed the manuscript materials for publication in the year following Dr. Owen's death. Dr. Owen’s wide circle of contacts in the history, library, and manuscript communities helped him to write a comprehensive history of the state and gather biographical information on many Alabamians who helped shape and mold the state.