The school, like the city, was named after Stephen Decatur, Jr. one of the great naval heroes of the post-Revolutionary War era.

He battled pirates off the Barbary coast of Africa (twice), fought in the War of 1812, and at 25, is still the youngest person ever to achieve the rank of captain in the history of the U.S. Navy.

[1] From 1863 to 1869, the high school held classes in the Baptist church on the northeast corner of East William and North Water Streets.

The year 1867 saw the first graduating class from Decatur High School, which consisted of four girls who had completed the three-year course of study.

The original portion of the building was constructed of red brick and had marble columns on the main west entrance.

[6] He had just emerged with the team from the locker room to begin the second half, when he collapsed from a heart attack and died on the court.

The Running Reds finished that fateful 1959-1960 regular season with a 22-2 record, won the Regional, Sectional, Supersectional, and Quarterfinal rounds of the 1960 tournament, before falling to eventual state champion Chicago Marshall in the Semifinal round, and to West Frankfort in the consolation game, finishing fourth in the 1960 tournament.

Decatur's Ken Barnes provided the winning margin on a free throw with six seconds left in the game.