Decatur

Formed October 1, 1845 (78^th county)

Decatur County (11,757), Decaturville (867), Parsons (2,373)

The dark red brick Federalist courthouse was constructed in 1928.  It is located on a square surrounded by Main, White Oak, Market, and Pleasant streets.  Tennessee State Highway 100 is Main Street in the town.  L. Elston Tate is the building designer.  The structure was renovated in 1975 and enlarged in 2006.  Veterans’ memorials are on the grounds.  Decatur County was established on October 1, 1845 from Perry County as the 78^th county with Decaturville as the only county seat.  The county and its county seat are named for Revolutionary War hero Stephan Decatur.  He is also the namesake for the county seat of Meigs County. 

Decatur County government consists of a sheriff, a County Mayor, and 18 Commissioners.  Two Circuit Court Judges, One Chancery Court Judge, and One General Court Judge serve Decatur, Benton, Carroll, Hardin, and Henry counties.  The county is in western Tennessee.  The Tennessee River forms its eastern border.  Nashville, Tennessee is northeast and Memphis, Tennessee is southwest of the county.  The county center is 1.4 miles North-Northwest of Decaturville.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Benton, Perry, Wayne, Hardin, Henderson, and Carroll counties. 

The area of the county is 345 square miles.  It is 66 out of 95 in the state.  It ranks 84 out of 95 in population in the state.  It has a density of 34.08 persons per square mile making it 86 out of 95 in the state.  Decatur County has 30.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 40 cuts the northern part of the county from Benton County, north, to Henderson County, west.  United States Highway 412 crosses east to west from Perry County to Henderson County.  The county is a capital letter I with a wavy eastern border.  Decaturville is located in the southern third of the county.  Parsons is near the center of the county.  Decaturville is the county seat and Parsons is the largest city.  Decaturville is 7.4% of the county population while Parsons is 20.2% of the county population.