Historical Marker
Perry County, 1821
Formed from parts of Clay and Floyd counties. Both Hazard, the county seat, and the county named for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, 1785-1819, the commander and hero in battle of Lake Erie, 1813, which he reported in famous message: "We have met the enemy and they are ours." Victory gave United States control of the Lake and advanced its claims to the great Northwest.
Kentucky was the site of many important battles during the American Civil War, including the Battle of Perryville, which was the largest battle fought in the state.