About My Town

Decatur is No. 1! The community of Decatur has been named No. 1 of 94 smaller metropolitan Best Places ranked by Forbes Magazine in its May 29, 2000 issue. Local business owners and development officials say the ranking verifies that Decatur is a good place to do business. For more information on business in Decatur, click here for the Decatur Chamber of Commerce website.

Decatur is very centrally located - within an hour from Bloomington, Springfield & Champaign. It also is within 2 hours of St. Louis, 3 hours of Chicago & 2 1/2 hours from Indianapolis, IN. Decatur is very family oriented - much of life here is centered around church and parks. There are 5 public & 2 private golf courses - very affordable! Decatur parks are fantastic with the lake, yacht club, project playground, bike trails, golf courses, zoo, museum, etc. There are many planned activities in our parks. The Decatur Celebration is held the first weekend of August - approximately 25 blocks of downtown are blocked off & a family street fair occurs with concerts, food, arts & crafts with over 300,000 people attending. Decatur is varied in the types of homes - from old with character to the newer to those on the lake. Decatur is the agri-processing center of the world with both A.E. Staley & Archer Daniels Midland located here - more agri-processing than any city in the world.

  Recreation
Decatur is well known throughout the United States for its first-rate recreational facilities. The Decatur Park District covers over 2000 acres and is comprised of 42 parks, five outstanding golf courses, more than 40 tennis courts, a riding stable, three campgrounds, a public zoo, two swimming pools, and sailing facilities. For more information, please click here for the Decatur Park District website.

Decatur's ratio of park to land population is higher than the national average. The Recreation Department serves the community with year-round programs geared to all interests and ages.

Lake Decatur is a beautiful, five basin lake that provides opportunities for all types of water sports and hobbies. Its 36 miles of shoreline provide a scenic atmosphere for cycling, jogging, hiking, and walking.

 Education
From preschool to senior citizens, Decatur provides first-class educational experiences. The Decatur Public School District has about 12,500 students enrolled in 25 schools. With an additional 2000 students enrolled in private schools.

 Richland Community College, featuring the newest campus in Illinois, serves more than 4000 students. RCC provides 29 associate degree programs for transfer to four-year colleges and universities. Students may choose from 34 occupational programs offering degrees or certificates.

Millikin University is one of the country's outstanding small comprehensive universities, offering five undergraduate degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Fine Arts, School of Nursing, and the Tabor School of Business as well as an MBA Program.To find out more about schools in the Decatur area, please click here.

History
Abraham Lincoln came to Decatur from Indiana in 1830, and later gave his first political speech at the corner of Main and Main (now known as Lincoln Square). In 1860, Decatur hosted the Illinois Republican Convention (known as "The Wigwam"), where Lincoln received the Presidential nomination and was dubbed "The Railsplitter Candidate" by John Hanks and Richard Oglesby. Lincoln's first court hearing was held in Decatur, IL., just 36 miles from Springfield where his home & tomb are located.

 Special Events
Special events provide several more good reasons to consider Decatur first. Decatur's special offerings cover a wide range of interests and activities. January brings nationally known musicians to the Central Illinois Jazz Festival, while spring brings the World Old-Time Piano Playing Competition.

On Memorial Day weekend, the Summerstart Festival includes APHA hydroplane races, a carnival, big-name entertainment, and food and fun on Lake Decatur. The Fourth of July celebration is a day of fun, food, entertainment, and fireworks. Since 1986, the highlight of a Decatur summer is the Decatur Celebration, the largest free family street festival in Illinois. The Celebration lasts three days and encompasses twenty-five city blocks, filling the streets with games, food, crafts, roving performers, and big-name entertainment.

 Shopping
From indoor and outdoor malls to quaint downtown specialty shops and everything in between, Decatur will meet your shopping needs with good old-fashioned personal service.

 Transportation and Industry
The Decatur Airport means easy access for passengers and cargo, with several regional airlines, private aircraft services, and UPS' center for downstate jet air express delivery. This facility complements the area's extensive highway and rail system to make an integrated transportation network that facilitates local operations of 200 diverse industries from heavy equipment manufacturing to agribusiness. Decatur's "Incubator" facility is also a national leader in cultivating new industry.

 Neighborhoods
A top priority is strengthening Decatur's neighborhoods. This priority has given rise to Ne