Decatur

 

City (1990 pop. 48,761), seat of Morgan co., N Ala., on the Tennessee River; inc. 1826. It has shipyards, port traffic, and diverse industries, including steel manufacturing. The city has thrived on power supplied by the Tennessee Valley Authority. A settlement there incorporated in 1820 as Rhodes Ferry was chartered in 1826 and renamed in honor of naval hero Stephen Decatur. During the Civil War, Decatur was continually raided by Union forces; two houses and the imposing state bank (1832) survive. The huge Browns Ferry nuclear power plant and a national wildlife refuge are nearby. The present city was formed (1927) by the union of Decatur and Albany (formerly New Decatur).

Decatur, Alabama
Nickname: D-Rock
Location in Morgan County and the state of Alabama
Coordinates: 34°34′51″N 86°59′0″W / 34.58083, -86.98333
Country	United States
State	Alabama
Counties	Morgan, Limestone
Government
- Mayor	Don Kyle
Area
- City	sq mi (km²)
- Land	sq mi ( km²)
- Water	sq mi ( km²)
Elevation	ft ( m)
Population (2006)[1]
- City
- Density	/sq mi (/km²)
- Metro
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	35600-35699
Area code(s)	256
FIPS code	01-20104
GNIS feature ID	0117185

Decatur is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County in the U.S. state of Alabama. The city, known as "The River City", is located in Northern Alabama on banks of Wheeler Lake, along the Tennessee River. The estimated population in 2006 was 55,778.^[1]

Decatur is also the core city of the two-county large Decatur Metropolitan Area which had 149,269 in 2006. Combined with the Huntsville Metropolitan Area, the two create the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area, of which, Decatur is the second largest city.

History

Initially the area was known as Rhodes Ferry, named after a ferry that crossed the Tennessee River in the 1810s at the present-day location of Rhodes Ferry Park. The city was incorporated as Albany in the year 1821. It was named in honor of Stephen Decatur; after he was killed in a duel in 1820, President Monroe directed that the Alabama town be named for him.

Decatur was a very important point in North Alabama during its earliest days. Decatur was the eastern terminus of the Decatur-Courtland-Tuscumbia Railroad (in the late 1820s and early 1830s), the first railway built west of the Appalachian Mountains.

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 Rhea-McEntire House.

During the Confederate occupation of Decatur, the plans for the Battle of Shiloh were mapped out within the Rhea-McEntire House. These activities made 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 across the tracks from Albany. In the early 1900s the two cities melded 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 Alabama, at 173 years old. The first wave pool in the United States was built here and is still in operation at the Point Mallard Aquatic Center. Decatur 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, tannery, bottling plants, and manufacturers 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.
• Rhea-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.
• President Franklin Delano Roosevelt dedicates Delano Park in 1930s.
• TVA brings new business to Decatur through the military, and energy management in the 1930s.

Climate

Decatur experiences a humid subtropical climate, with hot, humid summers and a generally mild winter. Temperatures range from 101.0 °F (31.6 C) in the summer to 49.0°F (9.4 C) during winter. The city rarely experiences tornadoes during the spring and fall. But, significant severe weather does occur from time to time in the active seasons. The most significant tornado event included the Super Outbreak in 1974, while the city was largely unaffected by the more recent Huntsville, Alabama Tornado in 1989 that killed 21 and injured almost 500. Hurricanes are rare since Decatur sits nearly 300 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico. Though a few tropical systems do track through the central Tennessee Valley, they rarely inflict much damage on the city. Winters usually don't produce measurable snow; a large amount of snow is rare within the city limits. A measurable amount of snow can sometimes be experienced every three or four years.

Geography

The Morgan County portion of Decatur is surrounded by water on two sides. The Tennessee River is a northern border, while Flint Creek serves as a border between Decatur and Priceville. There is also an inlet that extends one mile into the city limits from Wheeler Lake called Dry Branch.

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 a Rhodes Ferry Park. This hill allows the "Steamboat Bill" Memorial Bridge to leave the mainland at grade without any major sloping required more height to cross the river while not interfering with Decatur's heavy barge traffic. This hill extends from the banks of the river about 1.5 miles south to the 14th St./Magnolia St. intersection with 6th Avenue (US 31).

South past the 14th St. and 6th Ave. intersection, land continues to remain flat. South, and also west, past Alabama 67 there are a few minor mountains that sit within the city limits.

Decatur is located at 34°34′52″N, 86°59′0″W (34.580992, -86.983392)¹.

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.

Morgan County, Alabama Municipalities Decatur | Hartselle | Trinity | Falkville | Priceville | Eva | Somerville Important Highways I-65 | US 31 | US 231 | Alt 72 | AL 67 | AL 20

Bodies of water

• Wheeler Lake
• Tennessee River
• Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge
• Flint Creek

Nearby suburbs

• Moulton Heights
• Priceville
• Trinity
• Somerville
• Danville
• Tanner
• Burningtree Mountain
• Caddo

Neighboring cities/towns

• Hartselle (south) - Morgan County
• Huntsville (northeast) - Madison County
• Priceville (east) - Morgan County
• Mooresville (northeast) - Limestone County
• Trinity (northwest) - Morgan County

Demographics

As of the census² 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^{[citation needed]}. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city was 53,929. As of the 2006 census estimation, the population was 55,778. The city is the county seat of Morgan County⁶. In 1900, 4,457 people lived in New Decatur, Alabama; in 1910, 6,118. The two cities have melded.

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 twenty Fortune 500 companies opening 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 now utilizes its riverfront 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 having 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 and region.

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'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.^[2]

Shopping locations are expected to increase in coming years after the approval of a 32 (possible) store shopping center named "The Crossings of Decatur," which will be located at the corner of Beltline Road and 6th Avenue.^[3]

In 2002, the City of Decatur was recognized as one of the top 50 cities in the United States for manufacturing expansion.

Major Employers

• 3M
• United Launch Alliance
• BP
  • Manufactures Paraxylene and Purified Terephthalic Acid
• Bunge International
• Daikin America
• Decatur City Schools
• General Electric
• Goodyear
• Meow Mix
• Nucor
• Solutia
• Tennessee Valley Authority
• MPW Industrial Services

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.^[4]

The Alabama Jubilee, begun in 1977, is the oldest hot air balloon race south of the Kentucky Derby's Great Balloon Race (from 1973). With visiting populations rising into 75,000, people crowd around numerous seven-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 a 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 seven-time world champion winner.

Another big celebration in Decatur and North Alabama, the Racking Horse World Celebration, attracts numerous horses from around the world to compete in the largest racking horse competition. Set in the Racking Horse World Celebration Arena, the celebration draws up to 75,000 fans and competitors each year.

Parks and celebrations

• Delano Park

• Point Mallard Park
  • J. Gilmer Blackburn Aquatic Center
    • "Home of America's first wave pool"

• Alabama Jubilee

• Spirit of America Festival

• Riverfest

• Racking Horse World Celebration Arena

Media

Newspapers

The Decatur Daily has been the only major newspaper based in the Decatur Metropolitan Area since 1912, and the one of the only family owned newspapers in Alabama. It has an average daily circulation of 20,824 and a Sunday circulation of 23,840. The paper's circulation area includes Morgan County, Lawrence County, Cullman County, and southern portions of Limestone.

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.

Transportation

Air Transport

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. The city is also served by the busiest regional airport in Alabama, the Pryor Field Regional Airport.^[5]

Roadways

Decatur, being only a mid-sized city, has not yet seen the conveniences of a major controlled access highway passing through the city limits.

Decatur's main thoroughfares are 6th Avenue (US 31) and The Beltline (State Route 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 Road. 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. Construction is currently under way to widen the road from four to six lanes with the project expected to be completed by 2010.

Major Highways

• Interstate 65
• Interstate 565
• U.S. Highway 31
• 
  U.S. Highway 72 Alternate
• Alabama 20
• Alabama 24
• Alabama 67

Busiest Intersections

Rank	Intersection	Traffic Per Day
1	6th Avenue (US 31) Alabama 20 Alternate US 72	45,000
2	The Beltline (AL 67) Spring Avenue SW	38,000
3	6th Avenue (US 31) Stratford Road SE	34,000
4	PT Mallard Parkway (AL 67) Interstate 65	32,000
5	The Beltline Betty Street Westmead Street	31,000

Improvements

Plans are also under way 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.

In addition, there are plans to transform Alabama Highway 20/Alternate US 72 into an extension of Interstate 565 into the city. Governor Bob Riley has said he will make sure that plans for the road will be put on the fast track, since more than 85 wrecks occur on the 1.5 mile stretch of dangerous highway each year.^[6]

Education

The Decatur City School System is well regarded throughout the nation. Both of the city's high schools (Decatur High School and Austin High School) have been awarded the Safe Schools Award for the past two years that it has been presented in the State of Alabama. The two schools are the only ones 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 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).

All high school football and soccer teams compete in the 9,000 seat Ogle Stadium. Indoor track meets are held at the 10,000 seat Racking Horse World Celebration Arena.

However, both Austin and Decatur 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. However, the graduation rate is unreliable since students who move to different schools are considered "dropouts" and this drastically distorts the figures of how many students actually graduate.

The only institution of higher education located within the Decatur city limits is Calhoun Community College. It has three campuses; the main campus is in Decatur.

Local Elementary and Middle Schools

• Austinville Elementary School
• Banks-Caddell Elementary School
• Benjamin Davis Elementary School
• Chestnut Grove Elementary School
• Eastwood Elementary School
• Frances Nungester Elementary School
• Julian Harris Elementary School
• Leon Sheffield Magnet School
• Somerville Road Elementary School
• Walter Jackson Elementary School
• West Decatur Elementary School
• Woodmeade Elementary School
• Brookhaven Middle School
• Cedar Ridge Middle School
• Oak Park Middle School

Local Higher Education

• Athens State University
• Calhoun Community College System
  • Calhoun Decatur Campus
  • Calhoun Redstone Arsenal Campus
  • Calhoun Huntsville/Cummings Research Park Campus
• University of Alabama in Huntsville

Nicknames

• The River City - So named because of the Tennessee River that flows on the northern edge of town and that inspires festivals and culture in the city.
• The Chicago of the South - Given to Decatur after Delano Park was created following President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's visit to 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 annual Alabama Jubilee, which 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.
• D-Rock - nickname given by high school students inside Decatur. Many people outside of Decatur also refer to the city with this nickname.^[7]

Famous Decaturites

• Joseph Abbott, Texas politician.
• Mae C. Jemison, first African American woman in space.
• Dean Jones, actor.
• Lucas Black, actor.
• Philip Rivers, football player.
• Charles Redding Pitt, United States Attorney for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama; private lawyer; Democratic politician
• John O'Sullivan, conservative columnist and pundit.
• Gary Knotts, baseball player

See also

• Decatur Metropolitan Area
• Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area
• Morgan County
• North Alabama
• Point Mallard Park - Aquatic Center
• Tennessee River
• Stephen Decatur, Jr.
• Wheeler Lake
• Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge

References

External links

• Official City Website: DigitalDecatur
• Official City Tourist Website: Decatur, Alabama, USA
• Morgan County 911
• Cook's Natural Science Museum
• Official Decatur-Morgan County Website
• Decatur Convention & Visitor's Bureau
• Decatur Morgan County Chamber of Commerce
• Decatur City Schools
• Decatur Sports
• Decatur Parks and Recreation
• Morgan County Economic Development Association

Coordinates: 34.580992° N 86.983392° W

	Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area
Core Cities	Huntsville, Alabama | Decatur, Alabama
Metropolitan Areas Included	Huntsville Metropolitan Area Decatur Metropolitan Area
Counties	Jackson | Lawrence | Limestone | Madison | Marshall | Morgan
Regions	North Alabama | Wheeler Lake | Lake Guntersville
Cities	Huntsville | Decatur | Madison | Athens | Scottsboro | Albertville | Hartselle | Guntersville | Boaz | Arab

	State of Alabama Montgomery (capital)
Topics	History | People | Governors | Lieutenant Governors | Metropolitan Areas
Regions	Atlantic Coastal Plain | Birmingham District | Black Belt | Central Alabama | Cumberland Plateau | Greater Birmingham | Gulf Coastal Plain | Lower Alabama | Mobile Bay | North Alabama | Northeast Alabama | Piedmont | Ridge and Valley | South Alabama | Tennessee Valley | Wiregrass Region
Major cities	Anniston | Auburn | Birmingham | Decatur | Dothan | Florence | Gadsden | Hoover | Huntsville | Mobile | Montgomery | Tuscaloosa
Counties	Autauga | Baldwin | Barbour | Bibb | Blount | Bullock | Butler | Calhoun | Chambers | Cherokee | Chilton | Choctaw | Clarke | Clay | Cleburne | Coffee | Colbert | Conecuh | Coosa | Covington | Crenshaw | Cullman | Dale | Dallas | DeKalb | Elmore | Escambia | Etowah | Fayette | Franklin |