| Decatur Home Attractions Famous Residents Recreation Restaurants/Hotels/ Bed & Breakfast  |
Decatur ___________________
Driving Directions
Take I-172 south for 15 miles to I-72. Take I-72 east 100 miles to Springfield.
Continue on I-72 east for an additional 30 miles to Decatur. Approximately
145 miles.
Calendar of Events
Check out this
site for Decatur’s Calendar of Events.
History
Decatur was founded in 1829 and serves as the county seat of Macon
County. Its location on the Sangamon River provided for its modest beginnings.
In 1854 Decatur saw the Great Western Railroad and the Illinois Central
Railroad come to town. As a rail hub, Decatur became a prospering business
community. In 1903 Banker James Millikin founded Millikin University in
Decatur.
Decatur is also the birthplace of the Chicago Bears football team. In 1920
George Halas and his Decatur Staleys were one of fourteen teams to join
the National Football League (called APFA from 1920-1921). The Staleys went
on to become the Bears and moved to Chicago. Today, Decatur is known as
the soybean capital of the world because of its rich, productive farmlands
as well as being home to Archer-Daniel Midland’s (ADM) headquarters.
Decatur is a commercial and cultural community, rich in history.