Decatur County, Tennessee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Decatur County
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Decatur County Courthouse in Decaturville
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Location within the U.S. state of Tennessee
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 Tennessee's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Tennessee |
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| Founded | November 1845 | |
| Named for | Stephen Decatur | |
| Seat | Decaturville | |
| Largest city | Parsons | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 345 sq mi (890 km2) | |
| • Land | 334 sq mi (870 km2) | |
| • Water | 11 sq mi (30 km2) 3.2%% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 11,435  |
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| • Density | 35/sq mi (14/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) | |
| Congressional district | 7th | |
Decatur County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,435. Its county seat is Decaturville.
Contents
History
This county is named after naval hero Stephen Decatur, Jr., who gained national recognition in the First Barbary War, the Second Barbary War, and the War of 1812 by his leadership and achievements at sea. The county was created in November 1845 from the part of Perry County west of the Tennessee River in response to a petition by citizens on the west side of the river.
Like several other counties west of the Tennessee River, Decatur County was substantially pro-Union during the Civil War, contrary to the generally pro-Confederate sympathies of West and Middle Tennessee. In Tennessee's Ordinance of Secession referendum on June 8, 1861, Decatur County voted to remain in the Union by a margin of 550 to 310, being one of only eight counties in West or Middle Tennessee to support the Union. Earlier on February 9, 1861, Decatur County voters had voted against holding a secession convention by a margin of 514 to 251.
In 2015, the Decatur County clerk of court and the entire staff of that office resigned, to express conscientious objection to the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which would oblige the office to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 345 square miles (890 km2), of which 334 square miles (870 km2) is land and 11 square miles (28 km2) (3.2%) is water.
Adjacent counties
- Benton County (north)
- Perry County (east)
- Wayne County (southeast)
- Hardin County (south)
- Henderson County (west)
- Carroll County (northwest)
National protected area
State protected area
- Carroll Cabin Barrens State Natural Area
- Cypress Pond Refuge
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 6,003 | — | |
| 1860 | 6,276 | 4.5% | |
| 1870 | 7,772 | 23.8% | |
| 1880 | 8,498 | 9.3% | |
| 1890 | 8,995 | 5.8% | |
| 1900 | 10,439 | 16.1% | |
| 1910 | 10,093 | −3.3% | |
| 1920 | 10,198 | 1.0% | |
| 1930 | 10,106 | −0.9% | |
| 1940 | 10,261 | 1.5% | |
| 1950 | 9,442 | −8.0% | |
| 1960 | 8,324 | −11.8% | |
| 1970 | 9,457 | 13.6% | |
| 1980 | 10,857 | 14.8% | |
| 1990 | 10,472 | −3.5% | |
| 2000 | 11,731 | 12.0% | |
| 2010 | 11,757 | 0.2% | |
| 2020 | 11,435 | −2.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2014 |
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2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
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| White (non-Hispanic) | 10,462 | 91.49% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 270 | 2.36% |
| Native American | 9 | 0.08% |
| Asian | 42 | 0.37% |
| Pacific Islander | 5 | 0.04% |
| Other/Mixed | 289 | 2.53% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 358 | 3.13% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 11,435 people, 4,440 households, and 3,059 families residing in the county.
Communities
City
Towns
- Decaturville (county seat)
- Scotts Hill (partial)
Unincorporated communities
- Bath Springs
- Bible Hill
- Dunbar
- Holladay (partial)
- Hopewell
- Lick Skillet
- Perryville
- Sugar Tree
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Decatur (Tennessee) para niños
