Traditional signs of spring include the first robin, the first tulips and the trees’ leafing out, but in Perry a sure sign that summer is coming is the arrival of the popcorn stand at its location by the Perry Public Library.
This version of the stand has been there since Wilford Roberts constructed it in 2000, but the history of popcorn stands in Perry goes back much further. Local historian Larry Vodenik shared that history as one of the programs on Perry history presented by the Perry Iowa Historical Society.
Besides popcorn stands, Perry was once well known as a producer of white popcorn. Prior to World War I, the Perry Popcorn Co. grew 160 acres of popcorn for the popcorn market. They ceased operation when the land was needed to produce food during the war. In the 1990s, Roberts grew Tom Thumb brand popcorn for sale…