The Dancy-Polk House is Decatur’s oldest historic home. The home is listed on the National Register and Alabama’s Historic Register. This Palladian style home was built in 1829 by Colonel Frances Dancy. The home later passed to Lavinia Dancy-Polk, Frances’ granddaughter, who lived there with her husband, Captain Thomas G. Polk, a cousin to President James Polk. The home has changed hands numerous times over its 180 year history but remained primarily in the hands of direct descendents of the Dancy-Polk’s until 1894.

This home was one of four structures that were left standing after the Battle of Decatur in October 1864 during the Civil War. The home survived the ravages of the battle including occupation by Union troops and a cannonball strike to the front porch column relatively unscathed. The clapboard, brick structure remains in its original state today. More than 75% of the walls remain the original lathe and plaster. All original picture rail, chair rail and baseboards remain.

The house has been used as a personal residence, hotel, boarding house, and bed and breakfast. A small building at the back of the property called the ‘Sample House’ was constructed in the late 1800’s for travelling salesmen to display the wares they were selling while they stayed at the hotel. The railroad has always played an integral part in this home’s history.

Decorated to the federal period, most of the furniture is Empire Style. The home has 4800 square feet of living space. There are 5 bedrooms and 10 fireplaces. The house was restored in 1972. It was authentically decorated to the 1850’s by Jan Howell. The most significant piece of furniture is a brass and iron bed that is purported to have been owned by Ms. Kate Lackner, Decatur’s infamous madame and mistress of Simp McGhee.

Notable visitors to the home include General Joe Wheeler, James Garfield, Generals Dodge and Doolittle and the notorious Frank James who boarded at the home prior to his surrender.