Decatur Has Been the County Seat Since the 1850s

The town now called Decatur was first named Taylorsville, after General Zachary Taylor. A local legislator changed the name to Decatur in 1858 to honor naval hero Stephen Decatur. The city sits about 40 miles northwest of Fort Worth on US Highways 287 and 380.

Local tradition says the phrase 'eighter from Decatur' started with Fort Worth and Denver Railway workers who built through the area in 1882. The town grew into a market and shipping hub for the region.

Today Decatur has more than 6,000 residents and serves as the center of county government for Wise County.