Once known for its bustling river trade and legendary Peavine Railroad, Decatur County has flourished into a sportsman’s paradise. Many of the outdoor activities center around the beautiful Tennessee River, which forms the eastern and southern borders of the county. The clean waters of the Tennessee provide plenty of opportunities such as fishing, boating, swimming, and waterskiing. People around the state refer to Decatur County as “The Home of the Tennessee River.”
The population of the area grew after Andrew Jackson and John Overton bought this area from the Chickasaw Indians in 1818. Decatur County was formed in 1846. Samuel McLeod, Samuel Brasher, Balsam Jones and David Funderburk, as first commissioners, purchased 25 acres from John McMillian and 10 acres from Burrell Rushing to provide the site for the town of Decaturville. The population of Decatur County was about 6,000 at this time and the town lots sold quickly. New stores sprang up around the square. The first court met in a log cabin on the west of the square. This building was used only for a short time until the erection of a two story frame court house which burned July 3, 1869, destroying all the records except those in the Registrar and Clerk and Master’s office.
