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Named after the naval hero Stephen Decatur, the city of Decatur was founded in 1822 as a DeKalb County seat.
The 1830s were a major turning point in the city’s history. When its citizens rejected the Western and Atlantic Railroad’s proposal to make Decatur a stop on the line, the railroad instead founded a new city for the terminal – the future city of Atlanta.
Much of Decatur’s economic recovery in recent decades can be attributed to the introduction of public transit in the 1970s. Today, Decatur is known for its small-town feel, historic neighborhoods, independent education system and bustling downtown.
– Mark C. McDonald, The Georgia Trust