Library

The first library service made available to Decatur County was in October of 1942 and was sponsored by the TVA. It was also during this time that Decatur County became a part of the Regional library system. The first county library was located in the superintendent of education’s office in the courthouse. There were also many branches located throughout the county. These later became known as bookmobile stations and there are several still located in various businesses today. For a brief time in the 1950’s the county library was located in a commercial building in Decaturville. In 1958 it returned to its home in the courthouse and there it remained until 1993 when a beautiful 5,000 square foot library was built on Court Square and became the home of the Decatur County Public Library.

The new library boasts a spacious room “The Bonnye White Allen Community Room” which serves as a meeting place for many non-profit organizations and government organizations as well as hosting the Grand Jury when it has to convene. The room was named for Mrs. Bonnye White Allen who was instrumental in obtaining the new library building. She worked many long hours on this project and one of her greatest pleasures was sitting in the new library and greeting the many patrons who use our great facility.

The Decatur County Library is very proud of the material found in the Tennessee and Genealogy room. We have newspapers on microfilm from 1893 until 1996, marriage and birth records, Census records, cemetery records, county history records, civil war and revolutionary war book records, county deeds and court minutes along with various old records from the courthouse listing certain wills, birth certificates and misc. We also have a good deal of information concerning other counties and states with links to Decatur County families and history.