Perry's original name was Wharton, the name of a train station built in 1886 by the Southern Kansas Railway (part of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway system) about 1 mile south of the present city and it was located within the Outlet.

Before the 1893 Cherokee Outlet Opening, the U.S. government selected a site a mile north of Wharton for a land office.

A Santa Fe train was robbed at Wharton before the opening, and the gang escaped into Osage County.

An estimated 90,000 men, women, and children took part and by nightfall 40,000 had erected tents in Perry.

By 4:00 p.m. he had erected and opened the "Blue Bell" saloon selling beer the first day for $1.00 a bottle, due to the scarcity of water.

About 110 saloons and gambling houses were in operation with many of them set up 1/2 block east of the west side of the now existing square.

The sons took over the business in 1913 and renamed it Malzahn Brothers' General Blacksmithing, specializing in repairing equipment for the nearby oil fields.

After Gus died in 1928, the surviving brother renamed the business, Charlie’s Machine Shop.

Ed noticed a need for a machine to replace hand digging trenches for the installation of residential utility lines, and set to work developing such a device.

[7] Timothy McVeigh was stopped on April 19, 1995, along Interstate 35 outside of Perry by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Charlie Hanger.

Trooper Hanger had passed McVeigh's yellow 1977 Mercury Marquis and noticed it had no license plate.

[8][9] Perry moved from a strong mayor form of government to a Home Rule Charter.

The city is home to Charles Machine Works, which is the headquarters and manufacturing facility of Ditch Witch machinery and employs over 1,300 people.

[7] In November 2022, the company announced an expansion adding over 200,000 square feet to the Ditch Witch campus together with 100 new jobs.

It provides an opportunity to explore the remarkable events and people constituting the history of the Cherokee Outlet.

The facility includes The Rose Hill School, giving fourth-grade students an opportunity to experience an education from yesteryear; and, a Blacksmith Shop, allowing visitors to see what crafting tools was like in pioneer days.

Three pavilions are available for use, as is Centennial Church, a beautiful 1894 building moved to the Park and fully renovated by 2007.