Perry County trivia and more

Perry County is named after a famous naval officer, but what surprising fact about him has nothing to do with Ohio?

Answer: The county is named after Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, a War of 1812 hero, but he never lived in or even visited Perry County.

What Perry County village is named after a world-famous city but looks nothing like it?

Answer: New Lexington—while it shares a name with the Kentucky city, it has a much smaller and more rural charm.

Despite being a small county, Perry has a ghost town that was once a booming industrial spot. What’s its name?

Answer: San Toy—a once-thriving coal town that vanished after the mines shut down.

Why would someone call Perry County “Little Appalachia” even though it’s not officially part of the Appalachian region?

Answer: Culturally and geographically, Perry County shares many traits with Appalachian communities, including its rolling hills, coal mining history, and tight-knit communities.

What odd festival event in Perry County could make your hands really dirty—but in a good way?

Answer: The Crooksville-Roseville Pottery Festival, where visitors can sometimes try their hand at pottery-making.

If someone told you there was a legend of a monster in Perry County, would they be lying?

Answer: Not necessarily! Stories of strange creatures, like the “Perry County Panther,” have circulated over the years, though it’s likely just folklore.

What Perry County landmark is named after a famous outlaws’ hideout but was never actually used by them?

Answer: Hole-in-the-Wall—a rock formation near New Straitsville, named after the infamous Wild West outlaw hideout but with no historical connection.

What unique annual event in New Straitsville involves controlled fires on purpose?

Answer: The Moonshine Festival, celebrating the town’s Prohibition-era history of illegal distilling.

What major underground fire in Perry County has been burning for over a century?

Answer: The New Straitsville Mine Fire, which started in 1884 and is still smoldering beneath the surface.

If you wanted to visit a national forest from Perry County, how far would you have to travel?

Answer: Not far at all—Wayne National Forest touches the county’s southern edge!