View source for Decatur, Georgia

{{Distinguish|Decatur County, Georgia}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2017}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Decatur, Georgia
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| image_skyline      = Decatur Square.JPG
| image_caption      = Decatur Square
| image_blank_emblem = Decaturlogo.png
| blank_emblem_type  = Logo
| motto = {{force singular}} "A City of Homes, Schools and Places of Worship"
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-point = none
| pushpin_relief     = yes
| coordinates        = {{coord|33|46|17|N|84|17|52|W|region:US-GA_type:city|format=dms|display=inline,title}}<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|United States}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Georgia (U.S. state)|County]]
| subdivision_name1  = {{flagdeco|Georgia (U.S. state)}} [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[DeKalb County, Georgia|DeKalb]]
| established_title  = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date   = {{Start date and age|1823|12|10}}
| named_for          = [[Commodore (United States)|Commodore]] [[Stephen Decatur]]
| government_type    = [[City commission government|Commission–Manager]]
| leader_title       = [[City commission government|Commission]]
| leader_name        = Decatur City Commission
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_13.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=December 18, 2021}}</ref>
| area_total_sq_mi   = 4.60
| area_total_km2     = 11.92
| area_land_sq_mi    = 4.60
| area_land_km2      = 11.91
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.01
| area_water_km2     = 0.01
| elevation_m        = 318
| elevation_ft       = 1043
| population_total   = 24928
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_density_sq_mi = 5422.67
| population_density_km2 = 2093.77
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code|ZIP code(s)]]
| postal_code        = 30030, 30032, 30033
| area_codes          = [[Area code 404|404]], [[Area codes 678 and 470|678 and 470]]
| website            = {{URL|https://www.decaturga.com/|decaturga.com}}
| pushpin_label      = Decatur
| leader_title2      = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name2       = Patti Garrett
| timezone           = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset         = -5
| timezone_DST       = EDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -4
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 13-22052
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 0331532<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=2007-10-25}}</ref>
| blank2_name        = Major airport
| blank2_info        = [[Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport|ATL]]
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| pop_est_footnotes  = 
| population_est     = 
}}
'''Decatur''' ({{IPAc-en|d|ə|ˈ|k|eɪ|t|ər}}) is a city in and the [[county seat]] of [[DeKalb County, Georgia|DeKalb County]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], United States, part of the [[Atlanta metropolitan area]]. With a population of 24,928 in the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]],<ref name="QuickFacts">{{cite web |title=QuickFacts: Decatur city, Georgia |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/decaturcitygeorgia/POP010220 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=1 September 2021}}</ref> the municipality is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple ZIP Codes in unincorporated DeKalb County bear Decatur as the address.

The city is served by three [[Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority|MARTA]] rail stations ([[Decatur station|Decatur]], [[East Lake station|East Lake]], and [[Avondale station (MARTA)|Avondale]]). The city is located approximately {{convert|5|mi|km|0|spell=on|sp=us|abbr=off}} northeast of [[Downtown Atlanta]] and shares its western border with both the city of Atlanta (the Kirkwood and Lake Claire neighborhoods) and unincorporated DeKalb County. The [[Druid Hills, Georgia|Druid Hills]] neighborhood is to the northwest of Decatur.

==History==
===Early history===
Prior to European settlement, the Decatur area was largely forested (a remnant of [[old-growth forest]] near Decatur is preserved as [[Fernbank Forest]]). Decatur was established 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, Georgia|Roswell]]. A site for the DeKalb County courthouse was designated in 1822 in what would become downtown Decatur; the city of Decatur was incorporated on December 10, 1823. It was named for [[United States Navy]] [[Commodore (United States)|Commodore]] [[Stephen Decatur]].

The first settler in the area were farmers or skilled tradesmen of English, Scottish and Irish descent.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.decaturga.com/community/page/historic-decatur | title=Historic Decatur &#124; Decatur GA }}</ref>

===American Civil War===
During the [[American Civil War]], Decatur became a strategic site in [[William Tecumseh Sherman|Sherman]]'s [[Atlanta campaign]]. In July 1864, [[Major general (United States)|Major-General]] [[James B. McPherson|James McPherson]] occupied the town to cut off the [[Confederate States Army|Confederates]]' supply line from [[Augusta, Georgia|Augusta]]. On July 22, during the [[Battle of Atlanta]], Confederate [[Cavalry in the American Civil War|cavalry]] under [[Major general|Major-General]] [[Joseph Wheeler]] attacked McPherson's supply wagons and the Union troops left to defend the wagons. A historical marker at the old courthouse marks the site of this skirmish.

{{blockquote|We attacked Decatur on the 22d and took the town driving out a Brigade of Infantry and a good deal of Dismounted Cavalry. Our Brigade really took the town, tho' it was supported on both flanks by a Brigade of Cavalry dismounted. The fight lasted about two hours and was very hot for a while. The Yankees had the hills and houses on us and fought very well for a time. Our dash was made to distract attention while Hardee made the real attack on the enemy's flank. We captured over a hundred prisoners and killed and wounded about one hundred and fifty. Our loss about seventy killed and wounded.|author=[[Captain (armed forces)|Captain]] W. L. Nugent|source=in a letter to his wife<ref>{{Harvnb|Cash|Howorth|1977|pp=189–190}}</ref>}}

===20th century===
In the second half of the twentieth century the metropolitan area of Atlanta expanded into unincorporated [[DeKalb County, Georgia|DeKalb County]], eventually surrounding two sides of the town of Decatur. Concurrently, the area experienced [[white flight]], as many residents fled to more distant suburbs. The 1960s and 1970s witnessed dramatic drops in property values. However, more recently the city has regained economic vigor, partially thanks to several long-term downtown development plans that have come to fruition, making Decatur a trendy small [[Mixed-use development|mixed-use]] district with easy transit to downtown Atlanta. Over the past twenty years, it has gained a local and national reputation as a progressive city with a high level of citizen involvement.{{Citation needed|date=April 2012}}

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|4.2|sqmi|km2|abbr=off|sp=us}}, all land. Decatur is bordered by [[Avondale Estates, Georgia|Avondale Estates]] to the southeast and [[Atlanta]] to the southwest, and unincorporated DeKalb County elsewhere.

The [[Eastern Continental Divide]] bisects the city along the [[CSX]] (formerly [[Georgia Railroad]]) trackage right of way.

=== Neighborhoods and historic districts ===
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Adair Park (Decatur)|Adair Park]]
* [[Chelsea Heights & Westchester Hills (Decatur)|Chelsea Heights]]
* [[Clairemont – Great Lakes (Decatur)|Clairemont - Great Lakes and Clairemont Historic District]]
* Clairemont Gateway Association
* [[Decatur Heights]]
* College Heights
* Downtown Decatur
* EverGreen Forest
* [[Glennwood Estates (Decatur)|Glennwood Estates]]
* Lenox Place
* [[MAK Historic District (Decatur)|MAK Historic District]]
* [[Midway Woods (Decatur)|Midway Woods]]
* [[Oakhurst, Decatur, Georgia|Oakhurst]]
* [[Parkwood (Decatur)|Parkwood]]
* [[Ponce de Leon Heights (Decatur)|Ponce de Leon Heights]]
* [[Ponce de Leon Court Historic District]]
* [[Ridgeland Park]]
* [[South Candler Street–Agnes Scott College Historic District|South Candler Street-Agnes Scott College Historic District]]
* [[Sycamore Street (Decatur)|Sycamore Street]]
* [[Chelsea Heights & Westchester Hills (Decatur)|Westchester Hills]]
* [[Winnona Park Historic District]]
*   Dearborn Heights {{Div col end}}

== Demographics ==
{{US Census population
| 1840 = 530
| 1850 = 744
| 1870 = 401
| 1880 = 639
| 1890 = 1013
| 1900 = 1418
| 1910 = 2466
| 1920 = 6150
| 1930 = 13276
| 1940 = 16561
| 1950 = 21635
| 1960 = 22026
| 1970 = 21943
| 1980 = 18404
| 1990 = 17304
| 2000 = 18147
| 2010 = 19335
| 2020 = 24928
| align-fn = center
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 20, 2013}}</ref><br />2010–2020<ref name="QuickFacts" />
}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+Decatur racial composition as of 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US1322052&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=2021-12-13|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-

|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
|16,796
|67.38%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
|3,839
|15.4%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|36
|0.14%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|1,317
|5.28%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
|12
|0.05%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|1,634
|6.55%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|1,294
|5.19%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 24,928 people, 8,841 households, and 5,597 families residing in the city.

In recent decades, the city of Decatur has become markedly less diverse in racial terms. In 1990, the city's population was nearly 40 percent African American. By 2010, it had dropped to 20 percent African American, and by 2020 it dropped further to just barely 15 percent African American. Between 1990 and 2020, the proportion of the town's population that was white rose from 60 to 67 percent. One exception to this trend is the fact that Decatur's Latino and Asian populations were minuscule in 1990, and though they each only represented just 5 percent of the town's population in 2020, their increases in proportional terms over the thirty-year period were significant.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Whisenhunt |first=Dan |date=2014-08-06 |title=Diversity report shows Decatur getting whiter |url=https://decaturish.com/2014/08/diversity-report-shows-decatur-getting-whiter/ |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=Decaturish |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Education ==

===Primary and secondary schools===
[[Image:DecaturHSfromFlickr.jpg|thumb|[[Decatur High School (Georgia)|Decatur High School]]]]
[[City Schools of Decatur]], which serves only students within the city limits, holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of a pre-K early childhood learning center, five lower elementary schools, two upper elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school.<ref>[http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/ReportingFW.aspx?PageReq=111&PID=62&PTID=69&CountyId=773&T=0&FY=2009 Georgia Board of Education]{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Retrieved June 8, 2010.</ref> [[Decatur High School (Georgia)|Decatur High School]] is the district's sole high school. The Decatur City district has 224 full-time teachers<ref>[http://www.school-stats.com/GA/DE_KALB/DECATUR_CITY.html School Stats] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308203836/http://www.school-stats.com/GA/DE_KALB/DECATUR_CITY.html |date=March 8, 2012 }}, Retrieved June 8, 2010.</ref> and over 5,700 students from pre-K through grade 12.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Total Student Enrollment Dashboard - City Schools of Decatur |url=https://www.csdecatur.net/our-district-5f/overview/district-data/total-student-enrollment-dashboard |access-date=2025-12-15 |website=www.csdecatur.net |language=en-US}}</ref>

The [[DeKalb County School District]] serves unincorporated DeKalb County.

The [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta]] operates Saint Thomas More Catholic School in Decatur; it opened on September 1, 1950. At first it only had elementary grades and its initial enrollment was 150. A dedicated elementary building opened in 1955, and an addition for kindergarten classes with two rooms was placed in 1994.<ref>{{cite web |title=History |url=https://www.stmga.org/about/?tab=137#tool_539429 |access-date=2020-05-08 |publisher=St. Thomas More}}</ref> St. Peter Claver Regional School has a Decatur mailing address but is in nearby [[Candler-McAfee, Georgia|Candler-McAfee CDP]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.spc-school.org/|title=Home|publisher=St. Peter Claver Regional School|access-date=2020-05-07|quote=2560 Tilson Road Decatur, GA 30032}} - Despite the Decatur address it is not in the city limits. Compare with the Candler-McAfee CDP limits map.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/GUBlock/st13_ga/place/p1312834_candler-mcafee/DC10BLK_P1312834_001.pdf|title=2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Candler-McAfee CDP, GA|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2020-05-07}} - Compare with the Claver address.</ref>

===Colleges and universities===
* [[Agnes Scott College]]<ref>[http://www.agnesscott.edu/ Agnes Scott College], Retrieved June 8, 2010.</ref>
* [[Columbia Theological Seminary]]<ref>[http://www.ctsnet.edu/ Columbia Theological Seminary], Retrieved June 8, 2010.</ref>
* [[Georgia Perimeter College|Georgia State University's Perimeter College]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20020122090743/http://www.gpc.edu/ Georgia Perimeter College], Retrieved April 1, 2013.</ref>
* [[DeVry University]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.devry.edu/universities/georgia/decatur-campus.html |title= Decatur|website=www.devry.edu |access-date=August 19, 2016}}{{title missing|date=May 2022}}</ref>
* [[Emory University]], northwest of Decatur, was located in unincorporated DeKalb County before being annexed by the City of [[Atlanta]] in 2017.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Niesse|first1=Mark|last2=Journal-Constitution|first2=The Atlanta|title=City of Atlanta's expansion to Emory and CDC approved|url=https://www.ajc.com/news/local-govt--politics/city-atlanta-expansion-emory-and-cdc-approved/kMYzghHbvzD6THTyWpN1zH/|access-date=2020-11-05|newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|language=en}}</ref>

===Public libraries===
The [[DeKalb County Public Library]] system operates the Decatur Branch and is also the Dekalb County Library Headquarters.<ref name="Loc">"[http://www.dekalblibrary.org/media/locations.pdf Library Locations & Hours]{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}." [[DeKalb County Public Library]]. Retrieved on April 11, 2016.</ref>

== Government ==
{{Hidden begin|titlestyle=background:#ccccff;|title=Presidential election results}}
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:95%;"
|+ Presidential election results in Decatur<ref name="DL">{{cite web|title=Dave's Redistricting|url=https://davesredistricting.org/maps#viewmap::3a370cc7-f820-4af4-8fca-a27ec52502b7|access-date=April 14, 2022}}</ref>
|-
! style="text-align:center;" | Year
! style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
! style="text-align:center;" | [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
! style="text-align:center;" | Others
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Georgia, 2020|2020]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''88.6%''' ''14,095''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|10.3% ''1,633''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|1.2% ''184''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Georgia, 2016|2016]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''85.0%''' ''11,036''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|11.4% ''1,476''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|3.7% ''474''
|}
{{Hidden end}}
Decatur has operated under a Commission-Manager form of government since 1920. The Charter of the City of Decatur establishes the City Commission as the governing and legislative authority of the City government. A five-member City Commission is elected for four-year terms on two-year cycles. Two members are elected from the south side of the city, two from the north side and one is elected at-large. At their organizational meeting each January, the Commissioners elect a mayor and mayor-pro-tem from among their own membership for a one-year term. The mayor is not a separate elected office. The current mayor is Patti Garrett.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decatur City Commission {{!}} City of Decatur, GA |url=http://www.decaturga.com/city-government/city-commission |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20190203152944/http://www.decaturga.com/city-government/city-commission |archive-date=2019-02-03 |access-date=2024-12-30 |website=www.decaturga.com |language=en}}</ref> Previous mayors have included [[Leslie Jasper Steele]] (1915).

The Commission appoints a professional City Manager to carry out the policies, directives and day-to-day business of the city. The current city manager is Andrea Arnold.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.decaturga.com/directory-listing/andrea-arnold|title=Andrea Arnold|website=City of Decatur, GA|language=en|access-date=2019-08-07}}</ref> There are also several citizen volunteer boards and commissions appointed by the City Commission, including the Planning Commission, the Zoning Board of Appeals, and the Historic Preservation Commission.

===State representation===
The [[Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice]] has its headquarters in [[Avondale Estates, Georgia|Avondale Estates]], near Decatur.<ref>"[http://www.djj.state.ga.us/DjjContact/djjcontact.shtml Contact]." Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice. Retrieved on August 8, 2010.</ref><ref>"[http://www.avondaleestates.org/resources/pdfs/Official%20Zoning%20Map%20Feb%207%202009.pdf Official Zoning Map]{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}." [[Avondale Estates, Georgia|City of Avondale Estates]]. Retrieved on August 8, 2010.</ref><!--The map of Avondale Estates indicates pink commercial zoning for the DJJ HQ. The HQ is along Covington Highway, bound by a line west of Memorial Dr, a line north of Covington/Memorial, Covington Highway to the west, and a line south of Kensington Road--> The [[Georgia Bureau of Investigation]] has its headquarters near Decatur, in an unincorporated area.<ref>"[https://gbi.georgia.gov/directions Directions]." [[Georgia Bureau of Investigation]]. Retrieved on March 4, 2014. "The GBI Headquarters is located at: 3121 Panthersville Road Decatur GA, 30034"</ref>

===Federal representation===
The [[United States Postal Service]] operates the Decatur Post Office.<ref>"[http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/decatur-520-w-ponce-de-leon-ave-decatur-ga-1360474 Post Office Location - DECATUR] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100727185316/http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/decatur-520-w-ponce-de-leon-ave-decatur-ga-1360474 |date=July 27, 2010 }}." [[United States Postal Service]]. Retrieved on August 8, 2010.</ref>

== Culture ==

=== Festivals, special events and arts ===
Decatur has a thriving art and festival scene. The Decatur Arts Alliance hosts the Decatur Arts Festival each May, in addition to installing public art around the city, providing gallery space for local artists, producing YEA!, which is an event for young emerging artists, and supporting arts and arts education throughout the city.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

Decatur holds the annual AJC Decatur Book Festival, which claims to be one of the largest independent book festivals in the United States. It has featured thousands of famous authors, book signings, speeches, and attracted upwards of 85,000 people in 2019.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ajc.com/events/dragon-con-and-more-festivals-for-august/kHi72ldVpHiNkPvuCDfpzH/|title = AJC Decatur Book Festival and 10 more can't-miss fests in August|newspaper = The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|last1 = Newmark|first1 = Avery}}</ref>

Decatur is home to [[Eddie's Attic]], which is a live music venue hosting shows almost every night.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

Decatur is known for its frequent festivals, which include the annual Decatur Arts Festival, Summer In The city, Decatur BBQ, Blues & Bluegrass Festival, the Decatur Book Festival, the Decatur Maker's Faire, The Decatur Craft Beer Festival and the Decatur Wine Festival. Other events throughout the year include parades, Concerts on the Square, wine crawls, art walks, runs, and races.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

Public art in Decatur includes Celebration (artist Gary Price), Valentine (artist [[George Lundeen]]), Commodore Stephen Decatur (artist unknown), Roy A. Blount Plaza, and Living Walls Murals (various artists).{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

=== Dining, breweries and distilleries ===
Decatur is known for its food scene and was named one of the South's "Tastiest Towns" in 2012. In 2016, the New York Times called it "Atlanta's gastronomic equivalent of Berkeley or Brooklyn".<ref>{{Cite news |date=2016-02-16 |title=Atlanta Pulls a Chair to the Table for Culinary Greats (Published 2016) |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/17/dining/atlanta-restaurants.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231003002658/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/17/dining/atlanta-restaurants.html |archive-date=2023-10-03 |access-date=2024-12-30 |language=en |last1=Severson |first1=Kim }}</ref>

=== Points of interest ===
[[Image:Decatur GA Gazebo.JPG|thumb|300 px| The Decatur Square gazebo from the old courthouse steps, prior to the removal of the Confederate monument]]
Decatur's downtown area and residential neighborhoods are filled with historic structures and sites of interest. This list primarily consists of structures on the [[National Register of Historic Places]], but many remain privately owned and may only be viewed from the exterior.
* [[Agnes Scott College|South Candler Street-Agnes Scott College Historic District]], 141 East College Avenue. This district is on the National Register of Historic Places. It includes both the college campus and surrounding historic homes, and is book-ended by the Winnona Park Historic District to the east and the MAK Historic District to the west.
* [[Clairemont - Great Lakes (Decatur)|Clairemont Historic District]], north of Decatur Square
* [[Columbia Theological Seminary]], 701 Columbia Drive. This tree-lined, brick and limestone campus lies within Decatur's Winnona Park neighborhood.
* [[Decatur Cemetery]], 229 Bell Street. This historic cemetery was founded in the early 19th century and is located northeast of Decatur Square.
* [[Glenwood Elementary School (Georgia)|Glenwood Elementary]], the oldest school in the city
* Historic DeKalb County Courthouse, located in the original Decatur Square.
* [[Oakhurst, Georgia|Historic Oakhurst]], in southwest Decatur. An early 20th century town annexed by Decatur, Oakhurst still has its own business district surrounded by bungalows.
* [[MAK Historic District]], McDonough, Adams and Kings Highway. Decatur's first local historic district is full of early 20th century American Craftsman-style homes and has been used by Hollywood for films.
* Methodist Chapel, Commerce Avenue and Sycamore Street. A granite chapel on historic Sycamore Street owned by Decatur First United Methodist Church.
* [[Old Scottish Rite Hospital]], 321 West Hill Street (Oakhurst neighborhood). The historic Shriners' hospital has had an adaptive reuse and now houses restaurants and an art gallery.
* [[Ponce de Leon Court Historic District]]. A single street of bungalows and palm trees east of Decatur Square (off Ponce de Leon Avenue).
* [[Winnona Park (Decatur)|Winnona Park Historic District]], in southeast Decatur. This district is on the National Register of Historic Places for its residences and is also the home of Columbia Theological Seminary.
* [[Woodlands Garden]], 932 Scott Boulevard. Seven acres, mostly wooded with a focus on native plants, and open to the public.

==Transportation==

===Major roads and expressways===
*{{jct|state=GA|US|78}}
*{{jct|state=GA|SR|155}}
*{{jct|state=GA|US|278}}
Decatur is 'inside the perimeter' ([[Interstate 285 (Georgia)|I-285]]) and north of [[Interstate 20 in Georgia|I-20]].

===Mass transit===
*[[Avondale station (MARTA)|Avondale MARTA Station]]
*[[Decatur station|Decatur MARTA Station]]
*[[East Lake station|East Lake MARTA Station]]

===Pedestrians and cycling===
[[PATH Foundation]] trails
* Stone Mountain Trail
* Decatur PATH
* East Decatur Greenway

==Notable people==

{{div col}}
* [[Lloyd (singer)|Lloyd]] - singer
*[[B.o.B.]] - rapper, singer, songwriter
*[[James Banks III]] (born 1998) - basketball player
*[[Jarren Benton]] - rapper
*[[Frank Broyles]] - Coach and Athletic Director at University of Arkansas
*[[Harrison Butker]] - [[NFL]] [[placekicker]] for the [[Kansas City Chiefs]]
*[[Jason Carter (politician)|Jason Carter]] - politician
*[[Mark David Chapman]] - killed [[John Lennon]]
*[[Paul Delaney (basketball)|Paul Delaney]] (born 1986) - basketball player in the [[Liga Leumit (basketball)|Israeli National League]]
*[[Rebecca Latimer Felton]] - first woman Senator
*[[Ian Garrison]] - professional cyclist
*[[Ghetto Mafia]] - hip hop group
*[[Omari Hardwick]] - actor
*[[Keri Hilson]] - singer, actress
*[[Kiera Hogan]] - professional wrestler
*[[Jan Hooks]] (1957–2014) - actor and comedian
*[[Chris Horton (basketball)|Chris Horton]] (born 1994) - basketball player for [[Hapoel Tel Aviv]] of the [[Israeli Basketball Premier League]]
*[[Joshilyn Jackson]] - author
*[[Emily Jacobson]] (born 1985) - saber fencer
*[[Jacquees]] - singer, songwriter
*[[DeForest Kelley]] - actor, screenwriter, poet, and singer
*[[Alec Kann]] - professional soccer player
*[[LightSkinKeisha]] - rapper
*[[Thriii|McClain]] - girl group
*[[China Anne McClain]] - actress, singer
*[[Sierra McClain]] - actress, singer
*[[S.P. Miskowski]] - author
*[[Efrain Morales]] - soccer player for [[Atlanta United]]
*[[Amy Ray]] (born 1964) - singer, songwriter, [[Indigo Girls]]
*[[Will Reilly]] (born 2002) - soccer player<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jasper |first1=Adam |title=Will Reilly, Decatur's finest, shines in first MLS start |url=https://www.atlutd.com/news/will-reilly-shines-in-first-mls-start-atlanta-united-2025 |website=[[Atlanta United FC|Atlanta United]] |access-date=July 22, 2025 |date=March 26, 2025}}</ref>
*[[Joey Rosskopf]] - professional cyclist
*[[A. E. Stallings]] - poet and critic, first American [[Professor of Poetry]] at the [[University of Oxford]]
*[[Michael Stipe]] - lead vocalist, [[R.E.M.]]
*[[Baby Tate (rapper)|Baby Tate]] - rapper, singer
*[[Gwen Torrence]] - sprinter and three-time Olympic gold medalist
*[[Andrew Toles]] - outfielder for the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]]
*[[Rock Ya-Sin]] - NFL cornerback for the [[Baltimore Ravens]]
*[[Jordan Walker (baseball)|Jordan Walker]] - MLB outfielder for the [[St. Louis Cardinals]]
*[[James Walraven]] - serial killer
*[[Devonte Wyatt]] - NFL defensive tackle for the [[Green Bay Packers]]
{{div col end}}

==Sister cities==
Decatur has three [[town twinning|sister cities]], as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sister-cities.org/icrc/directory/usa/GA |title=Online Directory: Georgia, USA |publisher=Sister Cities International |access-date=2007-09-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080418072620/http://www.sister-cities.org/icrc/directory/USA/GA |archive-date=April 18, 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sister Cities International Alliances {{!}} Georgia.org |url=https://georgia.org/sister-cities-international-alliances |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=georgia.org}}</ref>
*{{Flagicon|Burkina Faso}} [[Boussé]], [[Burkina Faso]]
*{{Flagicon|Burkina Faso}} [[Ouahigouya]], [[Burkina Faso]]
*{{Flagicon|Peru}} [[Trujillo, Peru|Trujillo]], [[Peru]]

==See also==
{{Portal|Cities|Georgia (U.S. state)}}
* [[List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in DeKalb County, Georgia]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==References==
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* {{cite book |editor1-last=Cash |editor1-first=William M. |editor2-last=Howorth |editor2-first=Lucy Somerville |editor2-link=Lucy Somerville Howorth |date=1977 |title=My Dear Nellie: The Civil War Letters of William L. Nugent to Eleanor Smith Nugent |location=Jackson |publisher=[[University Press of Mississippi]] |isbn=0-87805-036-1 |lccn=77024597 |oclc=3186595 |ol=4554869M}}
* Clarke, Caroline McKinney. ''The story of Decatur, 1823–1899''. Dekalb Historical Society (1996).
* [[Mary Ann Harris Gay|Gay, Mary]]. ''Life in Dixie During the War'', Mercer University Press (2001).
* Kaufman, David R. ''Peachtree Creek: A Natural and Unnatural History of Atlanta's Watershed'', University of Georgia Press (2007).
* Mason, Herman Jr. ''African-American Life in DeKalb County, GA, 1823–1970'' (Images of America). Arcadia Publishing (1998).
* Owens, Sue Ellen. ''DeKalb County In Vintage Postcards''. DeKalb Historical Society/Arcadia Publishing (2001).
* Price, Vivian. ''Historic DeKalb County: An Illustrated History'' (Georgia Heritage Series). Historical Publishing Network (2007).
* Willard, Levi. ''Early History of Decatur''.
{{Div col end}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last=Allison|first=David|date=2018|title=Attacked On All Sides: The Civil War Battle of Decatur, Georgia, the Untold Story of the Battle of Atlanta|others=With chapters by Lisa Rickey and Blaise J. Arena|location=North Charleston, South Carolina|publisher=[[CreateSpace|CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform]]|isbn=9781977761903|lccn=2017915794|oclc=1029354282|ol=39611957M}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links|wikt=Decatur|commonscat=yes|n=no|q=no|s=no|author=Little Rock|b=no|voy=Decatur (Georgia)|v=no|d=n}}
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; Government
* {{official website}}
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* [http://www.itsmarta.com/bus-schedules.aspx Bus schedules] at [[Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority|Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA)]]
* [http://dekalblibrary.org/branches/deca Decatur Library] at [[DeKalb County Public Library]]
* [http://www.city-data.com/city/Decatur-Georgia.html Decatur, Georgia] at [[City-Data|City-Data.com]]
* [http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/counties-cities-neighborhoods/decatur Decatur, Georgia] at ''[[New Georgia Encyclopedia]]''
* {{OSM relation|119289}}
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{{Decatur, Georgia}}
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