Decatur, Indiana | |
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City | |
Decatur downtown in 2006.
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Location in the state of Indiana |
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Coordinates: 40°49′46″N 84°55′45″W / 40.82944°N 84.92917°WCoordinates: 40°49′46″N 84°55′45″W / 40.82944°N 84.92917°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Indiana |
County | Adams |
Township | Root, Washington |
Government | |
• Mayor | Ken Meyer |
Area | |
• Total | 5.79 sq mi (15.00 km2) |
• Land | 5.78 sq mi (14.97 km2) |
• Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
Elevation | 801 ft (244 m) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 9,405 |
• Estimate (2012) | 9,362 |
• Density | 1,627.2/sq mi (628.3/km2) |
Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
• Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
ZIP code | 46733 |
Area code(s) | 260 |
FIPS code | 18-17074 |
GNIS feature ID | 0446543 |
Website | http://www.decaturin.org/ |
Decatur is a city in Root and Washington townships, Adams County, Indiana, United States. It is the county seat of Adams County. Decatur is home to Adams Memorial Hospital, which was designated as one of the "Top 100" Critical Access Hospitals in the United States. The population of Decatur was 9,405 at the 2010 census.
The first non-Native American settlers arrived in what is now Decatur in 1835. They arrived as a result of the end of the Black Hawk War as well as the completion of the Erie Canal. They consisted entirely of settlers from New England. These were "Yankee" settlers, that is to say they were descended from the English Puritans who settled New England in the colonial era. They were primarily members of the Congregational Church though due to the Second Great Awakening many of them had converted to Methodism and some had become Baptists before coming to what is now Decatur. The Congregational Church subsequently has gone through many divisions and some factions are now known as the Church of Christ and Church of God. When the New England settlers arrived in what is now Decatur there was nothing but a dense virgin forest and wild prairie.
Decatur was founded in 1836. It was named for Stephen Decatur, Jr., one of the captains of the original six frigates of the US navy. The first post office in Decatur was established in 1837.