City Of Decatur Alabama history

The community that developed around the ferry was known as Rhodes Ferry until 1823, when it was renamed Decatur for the United States naval officer Stephen Decatur.

The City of Decatur was incorporated a few years later in 1826, by the Alabama Legislature.

In 1833, the State Bank of Alabama opened in Decatur, its building being an impressive edifice in pre-Greek Revival style.

In 1836 it became the eastern terminus of the Tuscumbia, Courtland and Decatur Railroad, the first United States railroad west of the Appalachian Mountains.

The Confederate forces fell back to Corinth, Mississippi, and the Federal troops moved almost to Tennessee state’s southern boundary, where the Battle of Shiloh (Pittsburgh Landing) was fought (April 6–7, 1862).

During the American Civil War the city was the site of the Battle of Decatur (October 1864), when Confederates under General John B. Hood were defeated in an attempt to cross the Tennessee River by Union forces under General Robert S. Granger, and was almost destroyed.

The Decatur Land and Development Company promoted a new city called New Decatur to the southeast of Decatur around 1886.

The new city, named "Albany" was incorporated in 1887.

Decatur, city, seat (1891) of Morgan county, northern Alabama, United States It lies along the Tennessee River about 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Huntsville.