Decatur

Decatur is a city in Wise County in north-central Texas, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) north of Dallas. The downtown area sits at an elevation of 336 meters (1,100 feet) and is home to over 6,000 people today.

The settlement began in 1856 as Taylorsville and took its current name in 1858 to honor Stephen Decatur, a U.S. naval officer. The arrival of the Fort Worth and Denver Railway in 1882 brought significant growth.

The Wise County Heritage Museum preserves objects and documents from the 1800s in a former Baptist college administration building. Visitors can explore how daily life looked in this area generations ago.

The city is easily accessed from highways I-35 and US-81 and works well as a stop between Dallas and Oklahoma. A visit to the museum typically takes an hour or two and provides a good overview of the area's past.

The Episcopal Mission of the Ascension was built in 1889 and remains the oldest church building still standing in the city. The structure has kept its original architectural features unchanged.

Location: Wise County

Inception: 1854

Elevation above the sea: 336 m

Website: http://decaturtx.org

GPS coordinates: 33.23333,-97.58333

Latest update: December 6, 2025 22:02