It is not clear why or how Perryville came to be selected as the county seat of Perry County, Missouri, but the site was selected by Robert T. Brown, Joseph Tucker, and Thomas Riney, who had been appointed to select the seat of justice for Perry County. On August 7, 1821, Bernard Layton deeded to the commissioners in exchange for one town lot. Fifty-three of the 99 town lots were sold for $1,486.25, which was used to build the first courthouse. The one existing today is actually the third such structure. It was built in 1904 at a cost of $30,000. Perryville and Perry County were named for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, Naval hero of the War of 1812.