The town was established as a military settlement in 1816, shortly after the War of 1812. The settlement of Lanark County began in 1815. In that year, "the Settlement forming on the Rideau River," as it was officially referred to (and which soon became known as "Perth Military Settlement"), began to function under Military direction. The settlement was named Perth in honor of acting Governor-General Sir Gordon Drummond, whose ancestral home was Perthshire.
Several townships were surveyed to facilitate the location of farms for military and other settlers, and the site of the future Town of Perth, which had been chosen as the headquarters of the Military Establishment, was surveyed in 1816.
The economy of Perth has been cited as an example of small-town durability in the twenty-first century. While many small towns in North America have lost their manufacturing companies and are struggling to adapt, Perth has remained an industrial excellence and innovation center. Perth is a significant economic hub in Eastern Ontario, with a GDP of over $1 billion and more jobs than people.
Perth businesses produce everything from textiles to steel, soap to sponges. Perth businesses are becoming more innovative, and they're investing heavily in new technology and production techniques to be competitive in the world arena.
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