Decatur, Alabama
Decatur, Alabama is a city in
Morgan County,
Alabama, with a small portion in southern
Limestone County. Decatur is the core city of the
Decatur Metropolitan Area, and the second largest(core) city in the
Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. Decatur sits on the southern bank of the
Tennessee River. Decatur currently has an estimated population of 54,528.
Decatur is served by the
Huntsville International Airport (a part of the
Port of Huntsville), as well as
Pryor Field Regional Airport.
Initially the area was known as Rhodes Ferry, named after a ferry that crossed the
Tennessee River in the 1810s, and was incorporated as Albany in the year
1821.
Decatur was a very important point in
North Alabama during its earliest days. Decatur was the Eastern Terminous of the
Decatur-Courtland-Tuscumbia Railroad, the first railway built west of the Appalachian Mountains .
The city is named after naval hero
Stephen Decatur, Jr. New Decatur was a city founded just north of Decatur in
1887 and incorporated in
1889.
Because of its location on the strategic
Memphis & Charleston Railroad, Decatur was the site of several encounters during the
American Civil War. All but three buildings were burned down during the 1864
Battle of Decatur, when Decatur was referred to as
A Tough Nut To Crack. The three that remained are the
Old State Bank, Dancy-Polk House, and the
McEntire House.
The
Old State Bank, on the edge of downtown, is the oldest bank building in the State of
Alabama, at the age of 172 years. The first Wave Pool in the
United States was built here, and is still in operation at the
Point Mallard Aquatic Center. Decatur is also home to the largest
Victorian Era Home District in the State of
Alabama. Decatur is also home to the oldest Opera House in the State of
Alabama (
Cotaco Opera House), the building still exists on Johnston Street.
In the past, its industries included repair shops of the
Louisville and Nashville Railroad, car works, engine works, engine works, tannery, bottling plants, and manufactures of lumber, sashes and blinds, fertilizers, cigars, flour, cottonseed oil, and various other products.
Historical Timeline
*Area founded as Rhodes Ferry in 1810s.
*Rhodes Ferry incorporated as Albany in
1821.
*Dancy-Polk House erected in
1829.
*Also in
1829-
1830, Decatur became the home to the first railroad ever built west of the Appalachian Mountains
Tuscumbia-Courtland-Decatur Railroad.
*
Old State Bank erected on July 29,
1833.
*
McEntire House built in
1836.
*
Battle of Decatur takes place during the
American Civil War in November,
1864.
*Decatur's
Victorian Era Home District built between
1870 and
1910*New Decatur founded in
1887, incorporated in
1889.
*
Princess Theatre built in
1919.
*Albany Decatur, and New Decatur merge in
1927.
*
TVA brings new business to Decatur through the military, and energy management in the 1930s.
As of the
census of 2000, there were 53,929 people, 21,824 households, and 14,753 families residing in the city. The
population density was 389.9/km² (1,009.7/mi²). There were 23,950 housing units at an average density of 173.1/km² (448.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.50%
White, 19.56%
Black or
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 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 for the city was $20,431. About 11.9% of families and 14.9% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 21.2% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.
Population
In
1890, 2,765 people lived in Decatur, Alabama; in
1900, 3,114; in
1910, 4,228; and in
1940, 16,604. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city was 53,929. As of the
2004 census estimation, the population was 54,528. The city is the
county seat of
Morgan County. In
1900, 4,457 people lived in New Decatur, Alabama; in
1910, 6,118. The two cities have melded.
Decatur has grown to be the busiest river port on the
Tennessee River. Having the largest/busiest port on the Tennessee River,
Port of Decatur, the city sees large amounts of barge traffic from up and down the
Tennessee River. This traffic has brought 20
Fortune 500 companies to open up plants in the city.
Decatur is also known as "The Home of
Meow Mix", after the company bought a 200,000 square foot facility in town, and utilizes its river front property to ship the finished product up and down the
Tennessee River.
The future is bright for Decatur's economy. Being part of the
Huntsville-Decatur CSA, the city lies within the region that has the most engineers per person in the nation. This makes for one of, if not the most, educated regions in
Alabama, thus stimulating the economy and growth of the city/region.
A recent BRAC Base Realignment will bring a (conservative) population estimated at 5,000-10,000 people (not including and their families) to the area surrounding the
Redstone Arsenal.
 |
Delta IV Medium launch carrying DSCS III-B6 |
The city is also the site for one of the largest single roof buildings on earth. Owned by
Boeing's
Integrated Defense Systems, which builds the
Delta IV rockets in the city and utilizes the
Tennessee River to send them to
Cape Canaveral,
Florida. The
Delta IV rockets are used to send satellites into orbit. A proposition by the government could combine
Lockheed-Martin, and
Boeing's rocket manufacturing contracts and send them to Decatur. If this goes through, all satellite launching rockets used by the US Government could be built in Decatur.
In 2002, the City of Decatur was recognized as one of the top 50 cities in the United States for manufacturing expansion.
Major Employers in Decatur
*
3M*
Boeing Integrated Defense Systems*
Bunge International*
Daikin America
*
Decatur City Schools*
General Electric*
Goodyear*
Meow Mix*
Nucor*
Solutia*
Tennessee Valley AuthorityTourism
Tourism is a major part of Decatur's economy. Hundreds of thousands of people from in and out of town, and many other countries and territories to attend some of the best festivals in The South.
The
Alabama Jubilee is the oldest hot air balloon race in the south. With visiting populations rising into 75,000, people crowd around numerous 7 story tall inflating balloons. Because of the
Alabama Jubilee, Decatur has been named "The Ballooning Capital of
Alabama" by the Alabama State Legislature.
The
Spirit of America Festival is one of the largest, free,
4th of July festivals in the south. More than 65,000 people arrive in Decatur to watch annual celebrations, and the Miss Point Mallard Beauty Pageant.
Riverfest is another great celebration sponsored by the Decatur
Jaycees. Set at
Rhodes Ferry Park, along the beautiful
Tennessee River barbecuers come from all over the country to try their luck at beating
Big Bob Gibson's Barbecue, the numerous World Champion Winner.
Also a very big celebration in Decatur, and
North Alabama, the
Racking Horse World Celebration attracts numerous horses from around the world to come compete in the largest Racking Horse Celebration. Set in the Racking Horse World Celebration Arena in Decatur, AL, the celebration draws up to 75,000 fans and competitors each year.
="Home of America's first Wave Pool"
Festivals and Celebrations
*
Alabama Jubilee*
Spirit of America Festival*
Riverfest*
Racking Horse World Celebration and ArenaTransportation
Decatur, being only a midsized city, has not yet seen the conveniences of a drastically controlled access highway passing through the city limits.
Decatur's main thoroughfares are 6th Avenue (
US 31) and
The Beltline (
Alabama 67). 6th Avenue begins as both Alabama 20,
Alternate U.S. 72, and
US 31 split after being carried by the twin-span
"Steamboat Bill" Hudson Memorial Bridge that crosses
Tennessee River at the north central part of town. Alabama 20/
Alternate U.S. 72 continues west towards
The Shoals, after the Beltline begins in the vicinity of the
Solutia plant. 6th Avenue continues southward where it eventually intersects with Beltline. After that intersection, 6th Avenue continues southward to Birmingham as Decatur Highway.
The Beltline was built as a western bypass to relieve congestion on 6th Avenue. In doing so, however, this created another problem as sprawl quickly developed along the new arterial. Plans are currently underway to widen the road from four to six lanes with the project expected to be completed by 2007.
Planned Roads
Plans are also underway to construct a controlled access beltway from
Interstate 65 south of the city to
Alternate U.S. 72 in
Lawrence County, known as
Veteran's Parkway.
Also, plans not as stationary are going through much faster to transform Alabama Highway 20/Alternate US 72 into an extension of
Interstate 565 into the city. Governor
Bob Riley has said that he will make sure plans for the road will be put on the fast track, since more than 75 wrecks occur on the 1.5 mile stretch of dangerous highway each year.
The
Decatur City School System is well regarded throughout the nation. Both high schools (Decatur HS, and Austin HS) have been awarded the
Safe Schools Award for the past two years that it has been presented in the State of Alabama. Decatur, and Austin High Schools are the only schools in the state to have won this award both years. With the addition of the International Baccalaureate Program to Austin and Decatur High Schools, Decatur becomes 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).
However, both Austin and Decatur HS failed to make adequate yearly progress in 2006 as mandated in the No Child Left Behind Act. The state said Austin's 86 percent graduation rate was four points too low.
Decatur High missed in two categories: percent of special education students the system tested in reading and percent tested in math. The graduate rate was 76 percent.
The only institution of higher education located within the Decatur city limits is
Calhoun Community College .
Calhoun Community College has three campuses, the main campus being in Decatur.
Local Higher Education
*
Calhoun Community College System**
Calhoun Decatur Campus**
Calhoun Redstone Arsenal Campus**
Calhoun Huntsville/Cummings Research Park Campus*
University of Alabama in Huntsville*
The River City - Because of the Tennessee River that flows on the northern edge of town, and inspires festivals and culture in the city.
*
The Chicago of the South - Given to Decatur after Delano Park was created after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt visited Decatur after the creation of
TVA, because the city was to be, and is, a hub for the commercial activity that followed TVA's introduction to the
Tennessee Valley.
*
"Ballooning Capital of Alabama" - Bestowed by the Alabama Legislature because of the
Alabama Jubilee being held each year in the city that brings over 70 Hot Air Balloons to
Point Mallard Park.
*
The Heart of the Valley - Because of Decatur's location at the very center of the Alabama portion of the
Tennessee River and Tennessee Valley.
*
"Home of America's First Wave Pool" - Decatur is home to the first
wave pool ever built in the United States at the popular
Point Mallard Aquatic Center.
*
"Home of Meow Mix" - Decatur is home to one of the Meow Mix production facilities, and a sign reading "Decatur: Home of Meow Mix" is visible on one of the city's buildings from the Tennessee River bridge.
Decatur is located at (34.580992, -86.983392).
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 155.1
km² (59.9
mi²). 138.3 km² (53.4 mi²) of it is land and 16.8 km² (6.5 mi²) of it (10.83%) is water.
*
Wheeler Lake*
Tennessee River*
Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge*
Joseph Abbott, Texas politician.
*
Mae C. Jemison, first African American woman in space.
*
Dean Jones, actor.
*
Lucas Black, actor.
*
Phillip Rivers, football player.
*
Charles Redding Pitt, US & State Attorney, Politician
*
Alabama Jubilee*
Boeing Integrated Defense Systems*
Calhoun Community College System**
Calhoun Decatur Campus**
Calhoun Redstone Arsenal Campus**
Calhoun Huntsville/Cummings Research Park Campus*
Decatur City Schools*
Decatur-Courtland-Tuscumbia Railroad*
Decatur Metropolitan Area*
Delta IV rocket*
Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area*
Morgan County*
North Alabama*
Old State Bank*
Point Mallard Park -
Aquatic Center*
Port of Decatur*
Pryor Field Regional Airport*
Tennessee River*
Spirit of America Festival*
Stephen Decatur, Jr.*
Wheeler Lake*
Wheeler National Wildlife RefugeWebsites
* Official City Website:
DigitalDecatur*
The Decatur Daily*
Decatur Convention & Visitor's Bureau*
Decatur Morgan County Chamber of Commerce*
Decatur City Schools*
Decatur Sports*
Come Visit Decatur!*
Alabama Jubilee - Hot Air Balloon Classic*
Princess Theatre*
Decatur City Business Directory*
Decatur Transit - DT*
Port of Decatur*
Decatur Parks and Recreation*
Colonial Mall-Decatur*
(Proposed) River Country at Point Mallard (Proposed)*
Decatur's Village Profile*
Morgan County Economic Development Association 
