Decaturville

A new mural in Decatur County is taking shape atop a 100-foot-wide metal roof at 425 West Highland Street in Decaturville, home to the UT Extension office, emergency management agency and veterans service office. Currently being painted, the mural is visible from Tennessee Highway 641, where an estimated 5,716 vehicles pass by each day. It marks the 69th mural in the campaign and represents the 63rd county to join the effort.

Decatur County Mayor Mike Creasy said the mural had been a long-standing goal. In searching for the right location — one that reflects both the values of the community and the statewide impact of the University of Tennessee — the county complex stood out.

“We knew it was the right fit,” he said.

Jenny Smith, UT Extension family and consumer sciences agent and county director, championed the location as a way to highlight the vital work Extension offers locally.

“I think every day I encounter someone who doesn’t know what UT Extension is,” she said. “I really wanted something close to our office to draw attention to what we do, because we’re all the time offering programs for the community.”

In Decatur County, UT Extension programs span four core areas — family, health, food and money — in addition to agriculture, natural resources and 4-H youth development. Agents provide research-based education and support to help residents make informed decisions, build confidence and improve quality of life.

The mural also reflects the county’s broader partnership with the UT System and its ongoing connection to the Ayers Foundation Trust, a nonprofit organization that supports educational opportunity, conservation and community wellness across rural Tennessee. Founded by Jim and Janet Ayers of Parsons, the foundation was named a UT Promise Scholarship partner in 2019 — supporting last-dollar scholarships for eligible students to attend UT campuses across the state.

“He wanted to make sure that every student from this county had the opportunity to attend higher education,” Creasy said of Jim Ayers and his commitment to rural communities.

Both Creasy and Smith hope the mural will bring new visibility to the UT Extension office and underscore the university’s presence and impact in Decatur County.

“You can stop by here anytime,” Smith said. “It’s a public office — come by and see what we’re doing.”