Decatur, Tennessee
Encyclopedia
Decatur is a town in Meigs County
, Tennessee
, United States
. The population was 1,395 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
of Meigs County
.
The local pronunciation of the name is duh▪KAY▪ter (dəˈkeɪtər).
. Just west of Decatur, the Tennessee River
flows around a blunt peninsula known as Armstrong Bend. This section of the river is technically part of the river's Chickamauga Lake
impoundment.
Decatur is centered 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 (24.1 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.
of 2000, there were 1,395 people, 560 households, and 366 families residing in the town. The population density
was 545.1 people per square mile (210.4/km²). There were 598 housing units at an average density of 233.7 per square mile (90.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.14% White, 0.93% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.07% from other races
, and 0.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.29% of the population.
There were 560 households out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples
living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.5% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $29,402, and the median income for a family was $38,375. Males had a median income of $29,327 versus $22,647 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $18,784. About 12.9% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.8% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.
, an early 19th-century American naval officer renowned for his exploits in the Barbary Wars
and the War of 1812
.
Meigs County, Tennessee
Meigs County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010, the population was 11,753. Its county seat is Decatur.-History:Before 1819, the area that is now Meigs County was Cherokee territory. White settlers established ferries to cross the Tennessee River from Rhea County as...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 1,395 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Meigs County
Meigs County, Tennessee
Meigs County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010, the population was 11,753. Its county seat is Decatur.-History:Before 1819, the area that is now Meigs County was Cherokee territory. White settlers established ferries to cross the Tennessee River from Rhea County as...
.
The local pronunciation of the name is duh▪KAY▪ter (dəˈkeɪtər).
Geography
Decatur is located at 35°31′8"N 84°47′36"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 ProvinceRidge-and-valley Appalachians
The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division and are also a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending from southeastern New York through northwestern New...
. Just west of Decatur, the Tennessee River
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
flows around a blunt peninsula known as Armstrong Bend. This section of the river is technically part of the river's Chickamauga Lake
Chickamauga Lake
Chickamauga Lake is a United States reservoir along the Tennessee River created when the Chickamauga Dam, as part of the Tennessee Valley Authority, was completed in 1940. The lake stretches from Watts Bar Dam at mile 529.9 to Chickamauga Dam at mile 471.0 making the lake 58.9 miles long...
impoundment.
Decatur is centered around the junction of Tennessee State Route 30, which connects the town to Athens
Athens, Tennessee
Athens is a city in McMinn County, Tennessee, United States. It is the county seat of McMinn County and the principal city of the Athens Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger Chattanooga-Cleveland-Athens Combined Statistical Area. The population was 13,220 at the 2000...
to the east and Dayton
Dayton, Tennessee
Dayton is a city in Rhea County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 6,180 at the 2000 census. The Dayton, TN, Urban Cluster, which includes developed areas adjacent to the city and extends south to Graysville, Tennessee, had 9,050 people in 2000...
to the west, and Tennessee State Route 58, which connects Decatur to Kingston
Kingston, Tennessee
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Roane County, Tennessee, United States, and is adjacent to Watts Bar Lake. Kingston, with a population of 5,264 at the 2000 United States census, is included in the Harriman, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area....
to the north and Chattanooga
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
to the south. Interstate 75
Interstate 75
Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border...
passes approximately 15 miles (24.1 km) east of Decatur.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,395 people, 560 households, and 366 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 545.1 people per square mile (210.4/km²). There were 598 housing units at an average density of 233.7 per square mile (90.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.14% White, 0.93% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.07% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.29% of the population.
There were 560 households out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.5% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $29,402, and the median income for a family was $38,375. Males had a median income of $29,327 versus $22,647 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $18,784. About 12.9% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.8% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.
History
Decatur was founded in May 1836 as a county seat for Meigs County, which had been formed that same year. The initial 50 acre (0.202343 km²) for the town were donated by James Lillard and Leonard Brooks. Decatur is named after Commodore Stephen Decatur, Jr.Stephen Decatur
Stephen Decatur, Jr. , was an American naval officer notable for his many naval victories in the early 19th century. He was born on the eastern shore of Maryland, Worcester county, the son of a U.S. Naval Officer who served during the American Revolution. Shortly after attending college Decatur...
, an early 19th-century American naval officer renowned for his exploits in the Barbary Wars
Barbary Wars
The Barbary Wars were a series of wars between the United States of America and the Barbary States of North Africa in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. At issue was the Barbary pirates' demand of tribute from American merchant vessels in the Mediterranean Sea. If ships failed to pay, pirates...
and the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
.