In 1856 the Texas Legislature established Wise County and directed that a county seat be placed within five miles of the center.  Absolam Bishop, the "father" of  Decatur, was charged with locating and laying out the plans. Bishop, loving the outlay of McKinney, decided to copy its plan and use it for Decatur.  The city was laid out and originally named Taylorsville after Gen. Zachary Taylor.  Bishop, however, did not approve of the name.  He was indifferent to Gen. Taylor's Whip party affiliation and in beginning of 1858 had the name changed to Decatur after naval hero Stephen Decatur.

 

  The first post office and school were established in 1857.  The town began to flourish and in the early 1860s the first of four courthouses was erected.  The late 1860's saw the creation of new stores.  Ranchers and herders would come in off the Chisholm Trail to grab supplies.

 

  This time period, however, was not only a time of peaceful growth.  Decatur was plagued by Indian attacks.  The Deep Creek Cemetery south of town had been the final resting place for a few of those attacked.  An example of these attacks comes from the depiction of Sallie Bowman's demise published in a book by Cliff D. Cates, The Pioneer History of Wise County.  He explains how she was chased down and shot by Indians while tending to her father's herd of horses.

 

  As time went on. Decatur slowly but steadily saw an increase of traffic in the city.  In 1882, the Fort Worth and Denver Railway came through Decatur.  During this time period a gambling railway worker, talking about a female from Decatur, coined the phrase "Eighter from Decatur".  Decatur prospered as a shipping point and market for farmers.

 

  In 1896, the last of the four county courthouses was built.  It came at a price of $110,000 ($2,810,388 in today's money) and is build of solid pink granite and Vermont marble.  The building is still in use today and is rated one of the best historic courthouses in the country.

 

  With the continual growth of the city, in 1897, land was purchased to create Decatur Baptist College.  The college was finished in 1898 and became the first 2-year college ever established in the state of Texas. This building now resides as the Wise County Museum.  The college moved to Dallas