What's Decatur like?

[Southlander]

Originally Posted by Mouldy Old Schmo

At one time, Decatur had railroad shops owned by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, but they were closed in the 1930s. They were near the railroad yard.

Yes, the shops closed but the yard is still there and still busy...mostly used for switching. A number of employees still work there, certainly not the number that did until the 1930s.

Originally Posted by ReggaeBusRider

I lived in decatur for 10 years and I like Huntsville better. However, I played golf at Burningtree (Indian Hills subdivision) yesterday and it is a great area. If you move to Decatur, you need to check out Indian Hills. It is on the border of Decatur and Priceville and I never knew such a nice area existed. Worth a look IMHO...

FYI most of Indian Hills is in Decatur - most, not all.

[ReggaeBusRider]

Originally Posted by Southlander

FYI most of Indian Hills is in Decatur - most, not all.

Geographically, Indian Hills is really Priceville IMO. Decatur is zoned almost to I-65 but Decatur "city" is 5 miles away. I guess it is all about the extra tax dollars.

[Southlander]

No - it was about schools, back when it was annexed into the city at the residents' request. They wanted to send their kids to Decatur schools, which at the time were among the best in the state.

[ReggaeBusRider]

Originally Posted by Southlander

No - it was about schools, back when it was annexed into the city at the residents' request. They wanted to send their kids to Decatur schools, which at the time were among the best in the state.

OOPS... I guess that backfired. I recently moved out of Decatur because of the schools and declining neighborhood.

[Southlander]

Well, it worked at the time. That was in the 1960s, I think.
Sorry that you left.
A few of our schools have problems, but at most of them I think kids can get a good education if they're willing to do the work and their parents see to it. Too many have parents who just don't care and expect the teachers to raise their kids.

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

Where is the dividing line between "old" Decatur and "new" Decatur (Albany)?

[Southlander]

Lee Street.
Albany was a planned community = Second Avenue was its downtown, Delano Park was all drawn in and planned the nice, wide residential streets - all planned.
Its planners planned to join with Decatur, but since the planners were yankees and the new houses were big and fine...lots of jealousy ensued.
The two towns merged about 1925. It was politically necessary to form a united front to get a bridge built across the Tennessee River, which they did.