Decatur, Tennessee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Decatur, Tennessee
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Location of Decatur in Meigs County, Tennessee.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| County | Meigs |
| Founded | 1836 |
| Incorporated | 1838 |
| Named for | Stephen Decatur |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.80 sq mi (9.83 km2) |
| • Land | 3.80 sq mi (9.83 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 778 ft (237 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,563 |
| • Density | 411.75/sq mi (158.99/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
37322
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| Area code(s) | 423 |
| FIPS code | 47-19880 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1306311 |
Decatur (/dɪˈkeɪtər/ dih-KAY-tər) is a town in Meigs County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,563 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Meigs County.
Contents
History
Decatur was founded in May 1836 as a county seat for Meigs County, which had been formed that same year. The initial 50 acres (0.20 km2) for the town were donated by James Lillard and Leonard Brooks. Decatur is named after Commodore Stephen Decatur, Jr., an early 19th-century American naval officer renowned for his exploits in the First Barbary War, the Second Barbary War, and the War of 1812.
Geography
Decatur is located at 35°31′8″N 84°47′36″W / 35.51889°N 84.79333°W (35.518871, -84.793201). The town is situated at the western base of No Pone Ridge, an elongate ridge characteristic of the Appalachian Ridge-and-Valley Province. Just west of Decatur, the Tennessee River flows around a blunt peninsula known as Armstrong Bend. This section of the river is part of Chickamauga Lake.
Decatur is situated around the junction of Tennessee State Route 30, which connects the town to Athens to the east and Dayton to the west, and Tennessee State Route 58, which connects Decatur to Kingston to the north and Chattanooga to the south. Interstate 75 passes approximately 15 miles (24 km) east of Decatur.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.7 km2), all of it land.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 99 | — | |
| 1880 | 175 | 76.8% | |
| 1890 | 313 | 78.9% | |
| 1910 | 165 | — | |
| 1920 | 142 | −13.9% | |
| 1930 | 158 | 11.3% | |
| 1940 | 205 | 29.7% | |
| 1950 | 235 | 14.6% | |
| 1960 | 681 | 189.8% | |
| 1970 | 698 | 2.5% | |
| 1980 | 1,069 | 53.2% | |
| 1990 | 1,361 | 27.3% | |
| 2000 | 1,395 | 2.5% | |
| 2010 | 1,598 | 14.6% | |
| 2020 | 1,563 | −2.2% | |
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2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 1,429 | 91.43% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 30 | 1.92% |
| Native American | 11 | 0.7% |
| Asian | 4 | 0.26% |
| Other/Mixed | 69 | 4.41% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20 | 1.28% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,563 people, 586 households, and 416 families residing in the town.
See also
In Spanish: Decatur (Tennessee) para niños
