Decatur (dɪˈkeɪtə(r)) is the largest city and

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

of Morgan County (with a portion also in Limestone County) in the U.S. state of

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = " Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,7 ...

. Nicknamed "The River City", it is located in northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake, along the Tennessee River. The population in 2020 was 57,938. Decatur is the core city of the two-county large Decatur metropolitan area, which had an estimated population of 156,494 in 2020. Combined with the

Huntsville Metropolitan Area The Huntsville Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan statistical area on the northern border of Alabama. The metro area's principal city is Huntsville, and consists of two counties: Limestone and Madison. As of the 2020 United State ...

, the two create the

Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area The Huntsville–Decatur, AL Combined Statistical Area is the most populated sub-region of North Alabama, and is the second fastest growing region in the State of Alabama, with 659,486 living within the CSA. It is also currently the 57th largest ...

, of which Decatur is the second-largest city. Like many southern cities in the early 19th century, Decatur's early success was based upon its location along a river. Railroad routes and boating traffic pushed the city to the front of North Alabama's economic atmosphere. The city rapidly grew into a large economic center within the

Tennessee Valley The Tennessee Valley is the drainage basin of the Tennessee River and is largely within the U.S. state of Tennessee. It stretches from southwest Kentucky to north Alabama and from northeast Mississippi to the mountains of Virginia and North C ...

and was a hub for travelers and cargo between Nashville and

Mobile Mobile may refer to: Places * Mobile, Alabama, a U.S. port city * Mobile County, Alabama * Mobile, Arizona, a small town near Phoenix, U.S. * Mobile, Newfoundland and Labrador Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Mobile ...

, as well as Chattanooga and

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

Huntsville during the space race. Decatur now finds its economy heavily based on manufacturing, mining, cargo transit, chemical, and high-tech companies such as Vulcan Materials,

Daikin is a Japanese multinational air conditioning manufacturing company headquartered in Osaka. It has operations in Japan, China, Australia, the United States, India, Southeast Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa. Daikin is th ...

, Toray, and United Launch Alliance.

History

Initially, the area was known as "Rhodes Ferry Landing", named for Dr. Henry W. Rhodes, an early landowner who operated a ferry that crossed the Tennessee River in the 1810s at the present-day location of Rhodes Ferry Park. The city was incorporated as Decatur in 1821. It was named in honor of Stephen Decatur; after he was killed in a duel in 1820,

President Monroe James Monroe ( ; April 28, 1758July 4, 1831) was an American statesman, lawyer, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. A member of the Democratic-Republican Party, Monroe was ...

directed that the Alabama town be named for him. In the early 1830s, Decatur was the eastern terminus of the

Tuscumbia, Courtland and Decatur Railroad Incorporated on January 13, 1832, the Tuscumbia, Courtland and Decatur Railroad was a railroad in Alabama, the United States. The Tuscumbia, Courtland and Decatur Railroad ran from Decatur in Morgan County through the northern half of Lawrence ...

, the first railway built west of the

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. The ...

. In 1850 the Tuscumbia, Courtland and Decatur was incorporated into the Memphis & Charleston Railroad. Old State Bank Decatur July 2010 02

Because of its location on the Tennessee River at the strategically important crossing of two major railroads, Decatur was the site of several encounters during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by state ...

. When the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

occupied the city early in the war, the commanding general ordered all but four buildings in the town destroyed. Bricks from some of the churches in town were used to build stoves and chimneys for the buildings that housed soldiers. The four buildings that remained (and are still standing) are the Old State Bank, the Dancy-Polk House, the Todd House, and the Burleson-Hinds-McEntire House. After the Union victory in the Battle of Atlanta, a Confederate army under the command of General John Bell Hood briefly sparred with a vastly outmanned garrison during the 1864 Battle of Decatur, when the city was referred to as "A Tough Nut to Crack." Monuments at the Morgan County Alabama Courthouse June 2013 2

Monuments at the Morgan County Alabama Courthouse June 2013 2

While the city was under Confederate control, plans for the Battle of Shiloh were mapped out within the Burleson-Hinds-McEntire House. These activities make the house one of the most historic buildings in Decatur. New Decatur was a city that rose out of the ashes of former Decatur west of the railroad tracks. New Decatur was founded in 1887 and incorporated in 1889. However, residents of the older Decatur resented the new town, founded and occupied by people who moved down from northern states. Animosity built until New Decatur renamed their town "Albany", after

Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York Ci ...

, in September 1916. The impetus to meld the two towns came from the need for a bridge, instead of a ferry, across the Tennessee River. The Decatur Kiwanis Club was formed with an equal number of members from each town to organize efforts to get the state to build the bridge. In 1925, the two cities merged to form one City of Decatur. There is a noticeable difference between the two sides of town. The cities developed differently at different times, and still to this day have somewhat different cultures. Eastern portions of Decatur tend to act more suburban and traditional, while western portions tend to look more metropolitan and contemporary. The Old State Bank, on the edge of downtown, is the oldest bank building in the State of

, being 173 years old. The first wave pool in the United States was built in Decatur and is still in operation at the

Point Mallard Aquatic Center Point Mallard Park is a park located in Decatur, Alabama, United States that sits on of the Flint Creek shoreline. Flint Creek is a tributary of the nearby Tennessee River. The park, portions of which are open year-round, borders the Wheeler N ...

. The city has the largest Victorian era home district in the state of Alabama. Decatur is also home to Alabama's oldest opera house, the Cotaco Opera House, which still stands on Johnston Street. In the past, its industries included repair shops of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, car works, engine works, bottling plants, and manufacturers of lumber, sashes and blinds, tannic acid, fertilizers, cigars, flour, cottonseed oil, and various other products.

Geography

The Tennessee River has traditionally been the northern border of the city and Morgan County, but a small portion of the city extends across the river into Limestone County between U.S. 31 and I-65. Major bodies of water in the city include Wheeler Lake on the Tennessee River itself, plus Flint Creek, and Dry Branch, tributaries of the Tennessee River. The city extends to the other side of Flint Creek and the Refuge in the Indian Hills and Burningtree subdivision areas. The northern portion of Decatur sits on top of a short hill that overlooks the Tennessee River; this creates a very steep dropoff to the river shore at Rhodes Ferry Park. This hill allows the "Steamboat Bill" Memorial Bridge to leave the mainland at grade without any major sloping required to cross the river while not interfering with Decatur's heavy barge traffic. This hill extends from the banks of the river about south to the 14th St./Magnolia St. intersection with 6th Avenue ( US 31). South past the 14th St. and 6th Ave. intersection, land remains flat. South, and also west, past S.R. 67 there are a few minor ridges that sit within the city limits. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which are land and , or 10.68%, are water. Decatur is southwest of Huntsville, north of

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the We ...

, and east of Muscle Shoals.

Climate

Decatur has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen ''Cfa'') with four distinct seasons. Winters are generally mild, with a January daily average temperature of . On average, the low temperature falls to the freezing mark or below on 59 days a year, and to or below on 9.2 days. Winters usually do not produce much snow; a large amount of snow is rare within the city limits. A small, measurable amount of snow can be experienced a few times each year. In 2011, Decatur received up to of snow in a single storm. It tied for the most since 1963. Summers are hot and humid with a July daily average temperature of . There are 51–52 days of + highs annually and 1.7 days of + highs. Thunderstorms are common during the summer months. The latter part of summer tends to be drier. Autumn, which spans from mid-September to early-December, tends to be similar to spring in terms of temperature and precipitation, although it begins relatively dry. Precipitation averages about 53.4 inches per year and on average, is relatively (and uniformly) heavy from November to July, with December the single wettest month on average; August through October are slightly drier months on average. Occasionally, severe thunderstorms occur. These storms can produce damaging winds and large hail in addition to the usual hazards of lightning and very heavy rain. There is also the risk of tornadoes. Severe thunderstorms can occur at any time of the year, but are most common during the spring months. A secondary severe weather season peaks in November. Occasionally from July to October, the Decatur area experiences strong winds and/or heavy to excessive rain from tropical disturbances. These commonly make landfall along the Gulf Coast as hurricanes but lose intensity as they move inland. The highest recorded temperature was on July 28, 1952, and August 16, 1954, while the lowest recorded temperature was on January 30, 1966.

Neighboring cities/towns

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh List ...

(north) - Limestone County *

Hartselle Hartselle is the second largest city in Morgan County, Alabama, United States, south of Decatur. It is part of the Decatur Metropolitan Area and the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the population of the ...

(south) - Morgan County * Hillsboro (west) - Lawrence County * Huntsville (northeast) - Madison/Limestone counties * Madison (northeast) - Madison/Limestone counties (however Huntsville completely separates the two) * Mooresville (northeast) - Limestone County * Moulton (southwest) - Lawrence County * Priceville (east) - Morgan County *

Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the ...

(west) - Morgan County

Neighborhoods

Decatur is divided into four different regions of town (Northeast, Southeast, Northwest, Southwest). Southeast and Northeast Decatur lie east of the CSX Railroad's mainline. North of Lee Street, the dividing line is Bank Street which runs a block east of and parallel to the railroad. Northeast and Southeast and are divided by Moulton Street. Southwest consists of the area west of the CSX Railroad and south of Moulton Street. Northwest is bordered by Moulton Street, the CSX Railroad from Moulton Street to Lee Street and then by Bank Street from Lee Street to the Tennessee River. While there are few major cultural differences between the East and the West, minute differences such as street grid patterns, zoning patterns, and architectural styles are noticeable.

Northwest

*West Decatur (the portion north of Moulton Street)

Northeast

* Albany (New Decatur) *Downtown Decatur *East Acres *Old Decatur *Bank Street and Second Avenue (Downtown Shopping District) *Harborview (Riverfront) *Irvington (Limestone County) *Whiteside (Limestone County)

Southeast

*Bayside *Brookmeade *Burleson Mountain * Burningtree Mountain *Cedar Lake *Fairview *Flint *Hickory Hills *Indian Hills *Point Mallard Estates

Southwest

*Autumn Ridge *Austinville *Basham *Braswell *Cedar Ridge *Chapel Hill *Chula Vista *City View Estates *Deerfoot Estates *Dogwood Estates *Dunbarton *Flint *Graystone *Griffin Addition *Longleaf Estates * Moulton Heights *Oak Lea *Oakworth *Timberlake *Russell Village *Vestavia *West Decatur (the portion south of Moulton Street) *Westmeade *Woodtrail

Demographics

2000 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2000, there were 53,929 people, 21,824 households, and 14,753 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 23,950 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 75.50%

White White is the lightness, lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

, 19.56%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

, 0.58% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 2.22% from other races, and 1.33% from two or more races. 5.64% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race. There were 21,824 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.99. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.4% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $37,192, and the median income for a family was $47,574. Males had a median income of $37,108 versus $22,471 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $20,431. About 11.9% of families and 14.9% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 21.2% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 55,683 people, 22,576 households, and 14,918 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 24,538 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 66.5%

, 21.7%

, 0.7% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 7.9% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. 12.4% of the population were

or Latino of any race. There were 22,576 households, out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were married couples living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.99. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $43,090, and the median income for a family was $55,158. Males had a median income of $42,146 versus $27,477 for females. The

for the city was $23,615. About 12.8% of families and 17.5% of the population were below the

, including 28.3% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 57,938 people, 22,113 households, and 13,802 families residing in the city.

Economy

Decatur has grown to be the busiest river port on the Tennessee River. The Port of Decatur sees large amounts of barge traffic from up and down the Tennessee River, which has led to twelve Fortune 500 companies opening plants in the city. Major employers include

General Electric General Electric Company (GE) is an American multinational conglomerate founded in 1892, and incorporated in New York state and headquartered in Boston. The company operated in sectors including healthcare, aviation, power, renewable energ ...

, 3M, Wayne Farms, United Launch Alliance, Nucor, Bunge Limited,

, Hyosung,

Ascend Performance Materials ASCEND is an open source, mathematical modelling chemical process modelling system developed at Carnegie Mellon University since late 1978. ASCEND is an acronym which stands for Advanced System for Computations in Engineering Design. Its main uses ...

, and the Tennessee Valley Authority. Decatur is also known as the "Home of Meow Mix", after the company bought a facility in town, and now utilizes its riverfront property to ship the finished product up and down the Tennessee River. Being part of the Huntsville-Decatur CSA, the city lies within the region having the most engineers per capita in the nation. A recent BRAC Base realignment will bring a population, conservatively estimated at 5,000−10,000 people (not including their families), to the area surrounding Redstone Arsenal. Approval of the United Launch Alliance combined Lockheed-Martin and

Boeing The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and ...

's rocket manufacturing contracts to a central location at the plant in Decatur. All satellite launching rockets used by the U.S. government will be built in Decatur. This approval brought over 230 new jobs to the Decatur area. The ULA plant utilizes the Tennessee River to ship the rockets to Cape Canaveral. In March 2008, a $1.3 billion development, including a Bass Pro Shops was announced for the

Interstate 65 Interstate 65 (I-65) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates ending in 5, it is a major crosscountry, north–south route, connecting between the Great Lakes and the Gu ...

/ Interstate 565 interchange inside the city limits. The development, named Sweetwater, would have included more than of retail space, of medical and office space, 2,700 residences, and an entertainment venue with seating for up to 8,000 people. A school, fire department, parks and lakes were expected to support the future development. As of Spring 2010, this project still seems to be on the horizon, but there is no set date for the project to start. As of 2012, Bass Pro Shop has removed Decatur from its list of stores "Coming Soon" on its webpage. In 2013, Mayor Don Kyle announced that the "Sweet Water" complex was back on track, but has not announced whether Bass Pro Shops will be involved or not. Research from the

Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity The Franklin News Foundation, previously the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, is an online nonprofit news organization in the United States that publishes news and commentary from a free market, limited government perspective o ...

suggests that the economic impact of Bass Pro Shops is typically limited despite the large subsidies the company often receives.

Tourism

Tourism is a major part of Decatur's economy. Hundreds of thousands of people from in and out of town, and from many other countries and territories, attend some of the premier festivals in the South. The Alabama Jubilee, begun in 1978, is the oldest hot air balloon race south of the Kentucky Derby's '' Great Balloon Race'' (from 1973). With visiting populations rising into 100,000, people crowd around more than 60 seven-story-tall balloons as they inflate. Because of the Alabama Jubilee, Decatur has been named "The Ballooning Capital of

" by the Alabama State Legislature. The

Spirit of America Festival The Spirit of America Festival is an outdoor Fourth of July celebration typically held over a period of two days at Point Mallard Park in Decatur, Alabama. Featuring a variety of traditional summer activities, the event is organized and staged by a ...

is one of the largest free

Fourth of July Independence Day ( colloquially the Fourth of July) is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence, which was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United State ...

festivals in the south. More than 65,000 people arrive in Decatur to watch annual celebrations and the Miss Spirit of America beauty pageant. The contest was known as "Miss Point Mallard" from 1976 through 2013. It moved to the Princess Theatre in 2014. Another large event in Decatur and North Alabama, the Racking Horse World Celebration attracts horses from around the world to compete in the largest Racking Horse competition. Held in the Celebration Arena near Priceville, the celebration draws up to 75,000 fans and competitors each year. Th
Riverfest
barbeque cook-off at Ingalls Harbor is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society and attracts competitors from across the country. Beginning in 1995, the festival has previously been selected as a top ten tourist event in the State of Alabama, festival goers can expect live, nationally known musical acts, children's activities, and award-winning barbeque. Proceeds benefit the local community including several charitable organizations. 2018 saw the opening of th
Cook Museum of Natural Science
located at 133 Fourth Avenue NE Decatur, Alabama 35601 and showcases a wide variety of native animal and plant species within a state of the art facility. Cook Museum of Natural Science has been nominated by USA Today in their 2020 10 Best Readers' Choice travel awards as one of the best new museums to open in the past two years. Cook Museum of Natural Science is the newspaper's only Alabama-based nominee.

Parks and recreation

Delano Park
Founded in 1887, the 28 acre Delano Park (pronounced DELL-uh-no) is Morgan County's oldest city park in continuous operation and an oasis in the heart of historic Decatur. At 125 years old, the park is recognized as a designed historic landscape and is listed on the National Historic Register.
Aquadome Recreation Center
offers a 25-yard indoor heated pool, basketball, pickleball, fitness classes and much more. Opened January 12, 1969, it continues to serve the City of Decatur with a wealth of recreational amenities.

Government

Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling (40792132104) (1)

The current mayor of Decatur is Tab Bowling, who was elected in 2016 The city has a five-member/district City Council. The current members are: *District 1 Billy Jackson *District 2 Kyle Dukes Pike *District 3 Carlton McMasters *District 4 Hunter Pepper *District 5 Jacob Ladner (Council President) There are also many boards and commissions run by the city, supervising schools, planning, downtown development, and so on.

Past mayors and city councilmen

Past Decatur mayors include: * Tab Bowling (2016-current) * Don Stanford (2008–2012) * Don Kyle (2004–2008; 2012-2016) * Lynn Fowler (2000–2004) * Julian Price (1994–2000) * Bill Dukes (1976–1994) * Russell Bolding (1972–1976) * J. Gilmer Blackburn (1962–1968) * H.R. Summer (1952–1954) * Charles Kirby was appointed in 2011 after Ronny Russell resigned. In city elections (preliminary) on August 23, 2016, the preliminary election resulted in runoff of Don Kyle and Tab Bowling for Mayor with Jeremy Goforth, Reggie Jackson and Butch Matthews not receiving enough vote to make the runoff. Tab Bowling defeated Don Kyle (Oct 6, 2016) with 75% of the vote.

Education

Austin High and Decatur High are the two main high schools of the city. With the addition of the International Baccalaureate Program to Austin and Decatur High Schools, Decatur has become the first Alabama school system north of Birmingham and one of five in the state to offer the honors program for juniors and seniors (as of July 2006).

Public schools

High schools

* Austin High School * Decatur High School

Middle schools

*Decatur Middle School *Austin Middle School *Austin Junior High

Private schools

*Decatur Heritage Christian Academy *Cornerstone Christian School *Faith Christian Academy (K-12) (SACS & ACSI) *St. Ann's Catholic School (K-8)

Higher education

*Alabama Center for the Arts * Calhoun Community College System *Strayer University

Media

Newspapers

'' The Decatur Daily'' has been the only major newspaper based in the Decatur Metropolitan Area since 1912, and one of the few family owned newspapers in

. It has an average daily circulation of 20,824 and a Sunday circulation of 23,840. The paper circulates in the morning to an area that includes Morgan County, Lawrence County, and Limestone County, and parts of Cullman County, and

Winston County Winston County is the name of two counties in the United States: * Winston County, Alabama Winston County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 23,540. Its county seat is Double Springs. Known as H ...

. '' The Huntsville Times'' is the only other newspaper with a larger circulation in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area, and has been in circulation since 1996 to most area counties, when the ''Huntsville News'' closed. Before then, the ''News'' was the morning paper, and the ''Times'' was the afternoon paper. After the ''News'' closed, the ''Times'' remained an afternoon paper until 2004.

Cable/Phone

Spectrum A spectrum (plural ''spectra'' or ''spectrums'') is a condition that is not limited to a specific set of values but can vary, without gaps, across a continuum. The word was first used scientifically in optics to describe the rainbow of color ...

, AT&T and

WOW! WideOpenWest (doing business as WOW!) is the sixth largest cable operator in the United States with their network passing 3,248,600 homes and businesses. The company offers landline telephone, cable television, and broadband Internet services. ...

offer cable TV to Decatur. AT&T, Spectrum and WOW! offer phone service to Decatur. With AT&T, Huntsville and Madison are local calls (Madison County only), but Athens is long distance. Decatur comes within of Athens and touches Huntsville. AT&T has begun rolling out their fiber network as of 2018.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Air

Decatur is served by two major airports. The Huntsville International Airport, in suburban Huntsville is the second busiest airport in Alabama, behind

Birmingham International Airport Birmingham Airport , formerly ''Birmingham International Airport'', is an international airport located east-southeast of Birmingham city centre, west-northwest of Coventry slightly north of Bickenhill village, in the Metropolitan Boro ...

. The city is also served by the busiest regional airport in Alabama, the Pryor Field Regional Airport.

Roads

Decatur's main thoroughfares are

U.S. Route 31 U.S. Route 31 or U.S. Highway 31 (US 31) is a major north–south U.S. highway connecting southern Alabama to northern Michigan. Its southern terminus is at an intersection with US 90/ US 98 in Spanish Fort, Alabama. It ...

(6th Avenue), U.S. Route 72 Alternate ( S.R. 20), State Route 24, and State Route 67. 6th Avenue begins as both U.S. 72 Alternate and U.S. 31, and the two routes split after being carried by the twin-span "Steamboat Bill" Hudson Memorial Bridge that crosses the Tennessee River at the north central part of town. SR 20/Alternate U.S. 72 continues west towards The Shoals and

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico ...

. U.S. 31 connects the city to

in the north, and Cullman in the south. A portion of S.R. 67 is known as Beltline Road, and serves as a partial beltway around the city.

runs east of the city, and connects the area to Nashville in the north and

in the south. Interstate 565 begins in Limestone County northeast of the city, and connects to Huntsville. Transforming U.S. 72 Alternate into an extension of Interstate 565 into the city has been discussed in the past.

=Major highways

= *

* Interstate 565 *

U.S. Highway 31 U.S. Route 31 or U.S. Highway 31 (US 31) is a major north–south U.S. highway connecting southern Alabama to northern Michigan. Its southern terminus is at an intersection with US 90/ US 98 in Spanish Fort, Alabama. Its ...

U.S. Highway 72 Alternate Alternate U.S. Route 72 (US 72 Alt.) exists in Alabama on the south side of the Tennessee River between Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Muscle Shoals and Decatur, Alabama, Decatur, while U.S. Highway 72 (Alabama), US 72 follows on the north side ...

* SR 20 * SR 24 * SR 67

Water (River)

Large shipments can move from Decatur to the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the "Old World" of Afr ...

via the Tennessee River to the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it ...

and the

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United S ...

. The United States builds some of its space launch vehicles in Decatur ( United Launch Alliance vehicles only), and ships them to both Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg Air Force Base via this water route.

Rail

Decatur has two railroads, the Norfolk Southern Railway, and CSX Transportation (CSX) main line, the

S&NA North Subdivision The S&NA North Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation in the U.S. states of Tennessee and Alabama. The line runs from Brentwood, Tennessee, to Fultondale, Alabama, for a total of . At its north end the line continues south fro ...

(Nashville to Birmingham). CSX operates a yard downtown. Norfolk Southern main line is the Memphis District East End. The line runs from Sheffield, Alabama, to

Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, it also extends into Marion County, Tennessee, Marion County on its west ...

. The rest of the line, west of Sheffield to

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the County seat, seat of Shelby County, Tennessee, Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 Uni ...

, is the Memphis District West End. The line receives trackage rights in

Stevenson, Alabama Stevenson is a city in Jackson County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Chattanooga-Cleveland-Dalton, TN-GA-AL Combined Statistical Area. Sources listed either 1866 or 1867 as the year of incorporation, but that seems to conflict w ...

, from CSX on their Chattanooga Subdivision to Chattanooga. Until 1971 the Decatur Union Depot was served by several Louisville and Nashville trains ('' Humming Bird,'' '' Pan-American'' and '' South Wind'') originating in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state lin ...

and terminating at

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

Miami, Florida Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at th ...

, to the south.

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada ...

from 1971 until 1979 operated the '' Floridian'' that made a station stop in Decatur. The Southern Railway's '' Tennessean'' served points to the east and west. The station is now a municipal museum.

Public safety

The Public Safety Department consists of the Decatur Police Department and Decatur Fire & Rescue. The Public Safety annex is located at 4119 Old Highway 31 in the Flint Community at the south end of the city and houses the Fire Department's administrative offices. This is also the site of the fire and police training facilities. The Police and Fire Departments currently cover approx. in and around the city. Both the Decatur Police and Decatur Fire & Rescue are dispatched by the Morgan County E-911 Center. The Decatur Police Department consists of approx. 140 officers, assigned to 4 divisions (Operations, Management Services, Criminal Investigations, & Administration). The current Chief of Police is Nate Allen. Decatur Fire & Rescue is an Advanced Life Support, full service department consisting of approx. 115 firefighters. The department currently runs 6 Engine Companies (with 3 in reserve), 2 Ladder Companies, 1 Heavy Rescue (which also responds as part of AL-TF3), 1 Brush Truck, 1 HazMat Unit, 1 Battalion Chief Vehicle, and several other staff and support vehicles out of 8 Fire Stations. The current Fire Chief is Tracy Thornton. Decatur is also home to the Morgan County Rescue Squad, an all volunteer organization, who responds to water, cave and high angle rope rescues all throughout Morgan County. They operate multiple land vehicles, 4 response boats and several smaller vessels out of 1 station (also located in Flint) and 2 boat houses on the Tennessee River, with approximately 30-40 members.

Emergency medical services and healthcare

Decatur is served by First Response EMS, which began operations in July 2012. First Response is a private company contracted through the city of Decatur to provide emergency medical services. Air Evac Lifeteam provides aeromedical services for the city of Decatur and North Alabama. Decatur is served by two hospitals, Decatur General Hospital and Parkway Medical Center. Decatur General Hospital is a 273-bed, general acute care hospital and a 64-bed behavioral medicine hospital making it the third largest employer in Morgan County. Decatur General is accredited by the Joint Commission and its medical staff consists of more than 200 physicians representing 20 specialties. Decatur General Hospital is designated as a level two trauma center by the Alabama Department of Public Health. Parkway Medical Center is a 120-bed hospital that is designated as a level three trauma center by the Alabama Department of Public Health. As of January 1, 2012,

Huntsville Hospital The Huntsville Hospital Health System, also known as Huntsville Hospital, is a public, not-for-profit hospital organization consisting of several sites and buildings originating in the downtown area of Huntsville, Alabama. The Huntsville Hospita ...

is the full owner of Parkway Medical Center. Parkway was formally a private not-for-profit hospital until their purchase from the public Huntsville Hospital System.

is the region's referral center and also serves as North Alabama's level one trauma center. As of November 2010, Decatur General Hospital and

are affiliate hospitals, ensuring the continued tradition and excellence of public, not-for-profit health care in North Alabama.

Notable people

* Joseph Abbott, Texas politician * Richard W. Austin, U.S. congressman * Cynthia Bailey, model ('' Real Housewives of Atlanta'') *

Loren C. Ball Loren C. Ball (born 1948) is an American amateur astronomer, who has discovered more than 100 asteroids while working at his Emerald Lane Observatory (843), built on the roof of his house on Emerald Lane, Decatur, Alabama. As of 2021, he has cre ...

, amateur astronomer, discoverer of asteroid 34351 Decatur * Taye Biddle, professional football player * Lucas Black, actor *

Alonzo Boone Alonzo D. "Buster" Boone (January 13, 1908 – April 8, 1982) was an American baseball pitcher and manager in the Negro leagues. He played from 1929 to 1947 with several teams. Boone was involved in a car accident on September 7, 1942. Ulysses ...

, Negro league baseball player * Marv Breeding, former

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL) ...

second baseman * Deonte Brown, former University of Alabama lineman and national champion * Anna Laura Bryan, Miss Alabama 2012 *

Rufus Columbus Burleson Rufus Columbus Burleson (August 7, 1823 – May 14, 1901) was the president of Baylor University in Waco, Texas, from 1851 to 1861 and again from 1886 to 1897. Biography Burleson was born near Decatur in northern Alabama. In 1840, he moved to ...

, president of Baylor University from 1851 to 1861 and 1886 to 1897 *

Charlie Burse Charlie Burse (August 25, 1901 – December 20, 1965) was an American blues musician, best known for his work with the Memphis Jug Band. His nicknames included "Laughing Charlie," "Uke Kid Burse" and "The Ukulele Kid." The "uke" in his nicknames ...

, blues musician, noted for his skill playing a ukulele *

Kendrick Burton Kendrick Duran Burton (born September 7, 1973) is a former American football defensive lineman. He played college football for Alabama and was selected in the fourth round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers. A native of Decatur, Alabam ...

, former professional football defensive lineman *

Jason Carthen Jason Carthen (born November 16, 1970) is a retired American football player, an academic, radio personality, bestselling author, and public speaker. He was inducted into the Business and Leadership Hall of Fame in 2018. He was also named the 201 ...

, former professional football player and public speaker * David Charles, neurologist * Grace Curzon, Marchioness Curzon of Kedleston, second wife of Lord Curzon, Viceroy of India * Bill J. Dukes, Alabama politician and mayor of Decatur from 1976 to 1994 *

Paul T. Entrekin Paul T. Entrekin (born November 4, 1954) is an American aviator and aerobatic pilot known primarily as an airshow performer in his Russian MiG-15 jet fighter. Biography Entrekin was born in Detroit, Michigan, but considers Decatur, Alabama, to b ...

, aviator and stunt pilot * Pop Gates, former professional basketball player and member of the Harlem Globetrotters *

Jerry Gillespie Jerry Wayne Gillespie (born Decatur, Alabama) is an American country songwriter. He co-wrote "Do You Love as Good as You Look", a #1 song in 1981 for The Bellamy Brothers and wrote " Heaven's Just a Sin Away", a #1 country hit in 1977 for The ...

, songwriter *

Chad Girodo Chad Alan Girodo (born February 6, 1991) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays, who drafted him in 2013. Girodo played in the Blue Jays' minor league organizati ...

, MLB pitcher * Eugene C. Gordon, founder of Decatur Land Improvement and Furnace Company *

Micky Hammon Micky Hammon is a former American politician serving in the Republican Party who became the Majority Leader of the Alabama House of Representatives, representing the 4th district, Limestone and Morgan counties.Alabama House of Representatives * Christopher Columbus Harris, U.S. congressman from 1914 to 1915 *

Robin Henderson Robin Neely Henderson is the Associate Director, Management, of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center located in Huntsville, Alabama. She was named to become the center's Acting Director effective August 3, 2012, following the retirement of the p ...

, Associate Director, Management, of the

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeedi ...

Marshall Space Flight Center * Richard Hendrix, professional basketball player * Charlie Hodge, singer, vocal coach, musician, and close friend of

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

Mae Jemison Mae Carol Jemison (born October 17, 1956) is an American engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut. She became the first black woman to travel into space when she served as a mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle ''Endeavour''. Je ...

, first African American woman in space * Dean Jones, actor * Leslie Kelley, former professional football player *

Seth Kimbrough Seth Kimbrough is a professional BMX rider and musician, appearing as the vocalist for Mortal Treason. Seth is sponsored by Hoffman Bikes and The Shadow Conspiracy. Seth is heavily involved with motorcycles, track riding and mountain biking. He c ...

, professional BMX rider, former front man of Mortal Treason * Gary Knotts, baseball player * Alan Koch, former Major League Baseball

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, who attempts to e ...

* Cricket Lee, entrepreneur and inventor *

Donald Lourie Donold B. Lourie (August 22, 1899 – January 15, 1990) was an American businessman, government official, and college football player. He served for many years as the president of the Quaker Oats Company, and held various other executive positions ...

, member of the College Football Hall of Fame and former president of the Quaker Oats Company * Seybourn Harris Lynne,

federal judge Federal judges are judges appointed by a federal level of government as opposed to the state/provincial/local level. United States A US federal judge is appointed by the US President and confirmed by the US Senate in accordance with Article 3 of ...

from 1946 to 1973 * Rolando McClain, current Dallas Cowboys linebacker * Chuck Murphy, American Anglican bishop * Arthur Orr, member of the Alabama Senate * John O'Sullivan, conservative

columnist A columnist is a person who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs. They take the form of a short ess ...

and pundit * Luther Patrick, U.S. congressman from 1937 to 1943 *

Ray Pepper Raymond Watson Pepper (August 5, 1905 – March 24, 1996) was a Major League Baseball outfielder. He played all or part of five seasons in the majors, from until , for the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Browns. Pepper's only season as a regul ...

, former Major League Baseball

outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to c ...

Josh Pearson Josh Pearson (born June 13, 1997) is an American gridiron football wide receiver for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). College career Pearson played college football for the Jacksonville State Gamecocks from 2017 to 2019. Pro ...

, wide receiver and Super Bowl champion for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers *

Bennie Perrin Jesse Bennett Perrin (October 20, 1959 – February 3, 2017) was a professional American football safety who played four seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals in the National Football League. Perrin played for the legendary University of Alabama ...

, former Arizona Cardinals safety *

Charles Redding Pitt Charles Redding Pitt (March 29, 1944 – February 7, 2016) was an American lawyer and former chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party. Biography Early life, education, and military service Pitt was born in Decatur, Alabama and graduated from D ...

, U.S. Attorney for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama; Democratic politician *

Jerraud Powers Jerraud Powers (born July 19, 1987) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at Auburn and was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He also played for the Arizona Cardinals an ...

, former NFL defensive back *

Andy Price Andy Price is a British television and film composer. He has scored more than 50 films for television and more than 25 productions for theatres around the country, including the Bristol Old Vic, National Youth Theatre and the RSC. Price has comp ...

, comic artist, known for illustrating ''

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic ''My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic'' is an animated children's television series based on the fourth incarnation of Hasbro's ''My Little Pony'' franchise. The series follows a studious unicorn (later an alicorn) pony named Twilight Spark ...

'' *

Gary Redus Gary Eugene Redus (born November 1, 1956) is an American former professional baseball outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Texas Range ...

, baseball player *

Kristopher Reisz Kristopher Reisz (born February 7, 1979) is an American author known for his young adult novels. Early life Reisz grew up in Decatur, Alabama. He became interested in writing during high school. In college, he reported for the student newspape ...

, novelist * Philip Rivers, former San Diego Chargers quarterback * Johnny Sandlin, musician, recording engineer,

record producer A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure. Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...

* Rip Sewell, professional baseball player * Charles Christopher Sheats, U.S. congressman from 1873 to 1875 *

Perry Stephens Perry Stephens (February 14, 1958 - September 8, 2005), born Perry Stephens Moody in Frankfurt, Germany, was an American actor known primarily for his roles on daytime soap operas, including the role of Jack Forbes on '' Loving'' from 1983 to 1990 ...

, actor and singer *

Mandisa Stevenson Mandisa Stevenson (born February 4, 1982) is an American professional women's basketball player with the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association. She attended high school in Decatur, Alabama before playing basketball at Aubu ...

, basketball player with the Women's National Basketball Association * David Stewart, former professional football offensive tackle * Skip Stewart, aerobatic pilot *

Travis S. Taylor Travis Shane Taylor (born July 24, 1968, in Decatur, Alabama) is an American scientist, engineer, science fiction author, and the star of National Geographic Channel's ''Rocket City Rednecks'' which aired 2011–2013. Taylor has written numerous ...

, aerospace engineer and subject of National Geographic Channel's '' Rocket City Rednecks'' * Gordon Terry, bluegrass and

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, o ...

fiddler and guitarist * Randy Thornhill, entomologist and evolutionary biologist * Carson Tinker, professional football long snapper *

Judith Toups Judith A. "Judy" Toups (November 30, 1930 – February 27, 2007) was a Mississippi-based birder and columnist for the '' Sun Herald'' of Biloxi for almost 35 years. Biography Born and raised in Gloucester, Massachusetts, Toups met and married ...

, birder and columnist for the ''

Sun Herald The ''Sun Herald'' is a U.S. newspaper based in Biloxi, Mississippi, that serves readers along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The paper's current executive editor and general manager is Blake Kaplan and its headquarters is in the city of Gulfpor ...

'' of Biloxi *

Phil Waldrep Phil Waldrep is Southern Baptist preacher, evangelist, and author based in Decatur, Alabama. He is the Founder and President of Phil Waldrep Ministries, an evangelical nonprofit that organizes Christian conferences. Waldrep was born in Morgan ...

, minister * Don Whitmire, former professional football offensive tackle *

Mildred Wolfe Mildred Nungester Wolfe (August 23, 1912 – February 11, 2009) was an American artist based out of Jackson, Mississippi. Biography She was born on August 23, 1912, in Celina, Ohio, and grew up in Decatur, Alabama. Her father was a pharmacist ...

, artist

References

External links

* {{Authority control Cities in Morgan County, Alabama Cities in Limestone County, Alabama Cities in Alabama Decatur metropolitan area, Alabama Huntsville-Decatur, AL Combined Statistical Area County seats in Alabama Inland port cities and towns of the United States Populated places established in 1821 Alabama populated places on the Tennessee River