Perry Village

Wyoming County, New York

Perry Village Hall is located at 46 North Main Street, Perry, NY 14530.
Phone: 585‑237‑2216.

Beginnings [1]

The Village of Perry dates from ca. 1809 when the first permanent resident, Samuel Gates, established a homestead here. The surrounding town had several different names for the first few years, but following the War of 1812, the village and town were renamed for the famous victor of the Battle of Lake Erie, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry. Water power was harnessed at the outlet of nearby Silver Lake, providing power to run saw mills, flour mills and other developing industries. An ice-harvesting business operated at the lake where a huge ice house sheltered 60,000 tons of ice when filled to capacity. In the mid-19th century, Silver Lake began to attract tourists because of the beautiful country setting; local Methodists established the Silver Lake Institute, one of many smaller imitations of the famous Chautauqua Institute, on the east side of the lake. Train service from Rochester and Buffalo helped to promote the growth of the tourist industry in the area. A number of sightseeing steam boats operated on the lake. Towards the end of the 19th century, the village experienced a surge in growth with the establishment of knitting mills along the Silver Lake outlet.

1. Ruth Parker and Marie Sitler, Brick Presbyterian Church, and Robert T. Englert, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, Brick Presbyterian Church, Wyoming County, New York, nomination document, 2007, National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places, Washington, D.C.

Nearby Towns: Castile Vlg • Silver Springs Village •