Decatur, Georgia
| Decatur, Georgia | ||
|---|---|---|
| City | ||
Old DeKalb County Courthouse in Decatur
|
||
|
||
 Location in DeKalb County and the state of Georgia |
||
 Decatur
|
||
| Coordinates: 33°46′17″N 84°17′52″W / 33.77139°N 84.29778°WCoordinates: 33°46′17″N 84°17′52″W / 33.77139°N 84.29778°W | ||
| Country | United States | |
| State | Georgia | |
| County | DeKalb | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 4.2 sq mi (10.8 km2) | |
| • Land | 4.2 sq mi (10.8 km2) | |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) | |
| Elevation | 1,043 ft (318 m) | |
| Population (2012) | ||
| • Total | 19,853 | |
| • Density | 4,700/sq mi (1,800/km2) | |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) | |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | |
| ZIP codes | 30030-30037 | |
| Area code(s) | 404/678/470 | |
| FIPS code | 13-22052 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0331532 | |
| Website | http://www.decaturga.com/ | |
Decatur is a city in, and county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. With a population of 20,148 in the 2013 census, the city is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple zip codes in unincorporated DeKalb County bear the Decatur name. It is an intown suburb of Atlanta and part of the Atlanta Metropolitan Area, and its public transportation is served by three MARTA rail stations.
Decatur's official motto is "A city of homes, schools and places of worship." Prior to 2000, its motto was "A city of homes, schools, and churches." Residents frequently refer to the unofficial motto of the town, "Decatur, where it's greater."
In 1822 Decatur was founded at the intersection of two Native American trails: the Sandtown which led east from the Chattahoochee River at Utoy Creek, and the Shallowford which follows today's Clairmont Road and eventually crossed near Roswell. The town was named for naval hero Stephen Decatur, and its early roads were named logically but soon after were renamed in a curious manner:
In the 1830s, the Western and Atlantic Railroad wanted to make Decatur the southernmost stop on its line. The citizens of Decatur did not want the noise, pollution and growth that would come with such a major terminal, so they rejected the proposal. In response, the railroad founded a new city to the west-southwest of Decatur for the terminal. This town later became the city of Atlanta.
During the American Civil War, Decatur became a strategic site in Sherman's campaign against Atlanta. In July 1864 Union general James B. McPherson occupied Decatur to cut off the Confederates' supply line from Augusta, Georgia. During the Battle of Atlanta on July 22, Confederate cavalry under Major General Joseph Wheeler attacked McPherson's supply wagons and the Union troops left to defend the wagons. A marker at the Decatur courthouse marks the site of this skirmish.
...
Wikipedia