Decatur, Tennessee

In town

• Historic Meigs County Courthouse & Court Square ↗The red-brick courthouse with its square central tower stands on a tree-shaded square in the middle of town and rises above everything else in Decatur — on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978. It is the third brick courthouse on the site, finished in late 1903 or early 1904 on the foundation of the one gutted by fire in 1902 (the Tennessee Encyclopedia gives 1905). Most county offices have since moved to the newer county building on State Hwy 58 N; the square is the stage for the town’s Halloween, Christmas and summer-concert nights. ⓘ source
• Decatur Art Trail ↗Murals, painted sidewalks, painted utility poles and a butterfly sculpture that lead from the block around the courthouse to Veterans Memorial Park — among them a veterans mural on the public library and a vintage-postcard mural on the Masonic Lodge building near the county museum. Funded by grants from the Tennessee Arts Commission and the Lyndhurst Foundation. ⓘ source
• Decatur Veterans Memorial Park ↗The town park at the end of the art trail — basketball and tennis courts, a disc golf course, a skateboard park, two walking tracks, a children’s playground, adult fitness equipment and a gaga ball pit. The pavilion is run by the Meigs County Fair Association; reserve it at (423) 334-5781. ⓘ source
• Meigs County Historical Museum & Veterans Courtyard ↗210 Smith Ave · run by the Meigs County Historical Society (founded 1983) — historical maps, artifacts and a genealogical library, with hundreds of engraved pavers honoring veterans in the courtyard · office hours Mon, Wed & Fri 9 AM–2 PM ET, other times by appointment · (423) 334-4424. ⓘ source
• Meigs-Decatur Public Library (Tommy Davis Building) ↗120 E. Memorial Dr · the county library, named for Staff Sgt. James Thomas “Tommy” Davis, a Decatur native and the first Meigs County soldier killed in Vietnam (1968); the building was dedicated in his name in 2015 and holds the Tommy Davis Research Room for local history and genealogy. Storytime Wednesdays at 10 AM ET; the Friends of the Library Bargain Book Store is open Tue 1–5 PM ET, Fri 12–4 PM ET and Sat 10 AM–2 PM ET this fall · (423) 334-3332. ⓘ source

On the lakes around town

• Chickamauga Lake public ramps ↗Outside town (Decatur mailing addresses) · west of Decatur the Tennessee River is TVA’s Chickamauga Lake, finished in 1940. County tourism lists public access at Eaves Ferry Boat Ramp (2725 Eaves Ferry Rd), the Hwy 30 bridge at the old Washington Ferry crossing (141 State Hwy 30 W), Pinhook, Sewee Creek, Goodfield Creek and Armstrong Ferry. ⓘ source
• Cottonport Marina & RV Resort ↗Outside town — 797 Cottonport Ferry Rd, on Chickamauga Lake at the old Cottonport river landing · fishing and boat docks, a boat ramp, gas dock, bait-and-tackle store and a restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating · (423) 454-4110. ⓘ source

Nearby: Blythe Ferry, the Hiwassee & Watts Bar

• Cherokee Trail of Tears State Park (Blythe Ferry) ↗Not in Decatur — southwest of town at 6800 Blythe Ferry Lane, Birchwood, where the Hiwassee meets the Tennessee · in 1838 thousands of Cherokee people forced west crossed the Tennessee River at Blythe’s Ferry. The park, a site on the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, has a museum and visitor center, a memorial of names and the Hiwassee Overlook facing Hiwassee Island · (423) 339-2769. ⓘ source
• Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge observation platform ↗Not in Decatur — near the state park at the Hiwassee confluence · county tourism points birders here for waterfowl and the migrating sandhill cranes that winter on the refuge; the platform is open all year. ⓘ source
• Watts Bar Dam & Watts Bar Lake ↗Not in Decatur — north of town · TVA’s Watts Bar Lake (dam finished 1942) runs up the county’s northern shore. Tourism lists the Watts Bar Dam boat ramp (181 State Hwy 68 W) and a fishing access below the dam, and the dam recreation area as a fall photo spot. ⓘ source
• Ten Mile & Fooshee Pass ↗Not in Decatur — the Ten Mile area in the north of the county along River Road (Hwy 304), the county’s featured fall drive · Fooshee Pass day-use area and campground on Watts Bar Lake, and Maple Creek on the Water restaurant at Euchee Marina. ⓘ source
• Hiwassee Island ↗Not in Decatur — at the mouth of the Hiwassee · site of a large Mississippian-period town from the 11th century A.D. with temple mounds around a plaza, and later a Cherokee town where a young Sam Houston lived in 1809–10. More in our Meigs County guide. ⓘ source

Eat & drink

• Angie’s Decatur Diner17315 State Hwy 58 N · hometown diner — breakfast, burgers and diner favorites (county tourism pick). ⓘ source
• Uncle Gus’s Mountain Pit Bar-B-Que ↗810 Peakland Rd · barbecue and catering · Tue 11 AM–3 PM ET, Wed–Sat 11 AM–8 PM ET · (423) 334-2487. ⓘ source
• Cottonport Marina restaurant ↗797 Cottonport Ferry Rd, on Chickamauga Lake west of town · waterfront casual dining · Wed–Sat 11 AM–8 PM ET. ⓘ source

More on county tourism’s Eat & Drink page ↗.

Places to stay

• Cottonport Marina & RV Resort ↗797 Cottonport Ferry Rd · 55 RV and tent sites with water, electric and sewer hookups, bathhouse and laundry, on Chickamauga Lake. ⓘ source
• Goodfield Campground6254 Cottonport Rd · Decatur-area campground. ⓘ source
• River Breeze RV Park2900 Lamontville Rd · RV park. ⓘ source
• Country Roads RV Park4196 State Hwy 68 E · RV park. ⓘ source
• Lakeway RV Park8415 River Rd · RV park. ⓘ source

Lodging around Decatur is mostly campgrounds, RV parks and marinas — full lists: Travel Meigs County — campgrounds ↗ · RV parks ↗.