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Decatur County, Tennessee facts for kids

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Decatur County
Decatur County Courthouse in Decaturville
Decatur County Courthouse in Decaturville
Official seal of Decatur County
Seal
Map of Tennessee highlighting Decatur County
Location within the U.S. state of Tennessee
Map of the United States highlighting Tennessee
Tennessee's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Tennessee
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)
 • Total 11,435 Decrease
 • 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 state of Tennessee, USA. It is found in the western part of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, about 11,435 people lived there. The main town and county seat is Decaturville.

History of Decatur County

Why is it called Decatur County?

Decatur County is named after a brave naval hero. His name was Stephen Decatur, Jr.. He became famous for his leadership in several wars. These included the First Barbary War and the War of 1812. He was known for his achievements at sea.

How was the county formed?

The county was created in November 1845. It was formed from a part of Perry County. People living on the west side of the Tennessee River wanted their own county. So, the area west of the river became Decatur County.

Decatur County and the Civil War

During the American Civil War (1861-1865), many counties in West and Middle Tennessee supported the Confederate States. However, Decatur County was different. It mostly supported the Union.

On June 8, 1861, Tennessee voted on whether to leave the Union. Decatur County voted to stay in the Union. The vote was 550 to 310. It was one of only eight counties in West or Middle Tennessee to support the Union.

Geography of Decatur County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Decatur County covers about 345 square miles. Most of this area, 334 square miles, is land. The remaining 11 square miles, or 3.2%, is water.

Counties next to Decatur County

Decatur County shares borders with several other counties:

Protected areas in Decatur County

There are special protected natural areas in the county:

Population of Decatur County

Historical population
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
USA Decatur County, Tennessee.csv age pyramid
Age pyramid Decatur County

As of the 2020 census, there were 11,435 people living in Decatur County. There were 4,440 households and 3,059 families. Most of the people in the county are White (91.49%).

Communities in Decatur County

City

Towns

Unincorporated communities

These are smaller communities that are not officially cities or towns:

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Decatur (Tennessee) para niños

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Decatur County, Tennessee Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.