Decatur’s Hidden History And The M.A.S.H. Connection
Decatur might be small, but its history is packed with surprises, from TV fame to the unsolved mysteries that have lingered for over a century.
Decatur's population, currently estimated at 1,637 in 2026, has been on a gradual yet steady decline since 2010 (1,807), according to World Population Review.
5 Fun Facts About Decatur, Michigan
#1. Decatur, Michigan, was named after a war hero from the War of 1812.
Founded in 1847, this small Van Buren County village was named after war hero Stephen Decatur, Jr., according to Kiddle.
#2. Decatur, MI, was featured on the popular 70s TV show M.A.S.H.
A street sign out in the middle of nowhere on the TV show M.A.S.H. frequently showed "Decatur, MI." Someone had to have worked on the set of this TV show that once lived in Decatur. Click here to see the actual sign.
#3. Decatur once had a McDonald's and a strip club.
We can't find the exact date McDonald's opened its doors in Decatur, but it wasn't open very long. They officially closed their doors on January 1st, 2022. In the early to mid-2000s, a popular bar/nightclub called Penny Lane Pub became a strip club called Scooters. It was later renamed Harley's Gentlemen's Club and closed permanently in 2019.
#4. The Morris Murders of 1879.
Before true crime podcasts and Dateline, Decatur experienced a mysterious murder that haunts the area all these years later. This case not only involved the deaths of husband and wife Charles Henry Morris and Esther Jones Morris but also the horrific torture of a suspect who pleaded his innocence until the very end. Get more info on that story here.
#5. Murphy Brown's dad is from Decatur.
OK, Edgar Bergen was wildly famous on his own. The old school building in Decatur was called the Edgar Bergen building for decades. And yes, he is the father of Candice Bergen, who played Murphy Brown.
Are there any Decatur, Michigan, fun facts that you think should be in this article that we missed? Let us know in the comments.
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