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Alabama · Northeast Alabama · #686
Calhoun County, Alabama
In the Appalachian foothills of northeast Alabama, Anniston has navigated the closure of Fort McClellan - which trained a million soldiers over 80 years - and its accompanying environmental legacy, while Jacksonville State University anchors the county's educational economy and the Cheaha State Park provides the high terrain that gives Calhoun County its mountain character.
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Office: Calhoun County Emergency Management Agency
Address: 1702 Noble St, Anniston, AL 36201
Phone: (256) 231-1750
Website: calhouncountyal.gov/ema
Alert System: CodeRed; AL Alert statewide
Shelter Info: Multiple designated shelters; contact EMA for current locations
FEMA Region: Region 4
Notes: Calhoun County has a significant chemical weapons disposal history (Anniston Army Depot/Blue Grass Chemical Agent Destruction); specialized emergency planning for chemical/HAZMAT events; FEMA-certified community; also tornado risk
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Road Dept: Calhoun County Highway Department
Phone: (256) 237-6741
Public Transit: Calhoun Area Transit System (CATS) – (256) 237-4411; fixed-route bus service in Anniston/Oxford/Jacksonville area
Road Conditions: ALDOT – algotraffic.com
Notes: Calhoun County has one of the better public transit systems for a non-metro Alabama county due to Anniston’s urban core; Jacksonville State University adds transit demand
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Calhoun County Building Department
Address: 1702 Noble St, Anniston, AL 36201
Phone: (256) 241-2900
Website: calhouncountyal.gov
Services: Building permits, inspections, certificates of occupancy for unincorporated areas
Notes: Cities of Anniston, Oxford, Jacksonville, and Piedmont have separate municipal permits; Anniston is county seat and most active permit area
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Calhoun County Veterans Service Office
Address: 1702 Noble St, Anniston, AL 36201
Phone: (256) 231-1720
VA Medical: Birmingham VA Medical Center – (205) 933-8101; also Anniston VA Outpatient Clinic
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare enrollment, pension/compensation, disability ratings
Notes: Fort McClellan (decommissioned Army post) legacy means significant veteran community; Anniston VA outpatient clinic provides local access
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Anniston-Calhoun County Public Library
Main Branch: 108 E 10th St, Anniston, AL 36201
Phone: (256) 237-8501
Website: annistonlibrary.org
Branches: Multiple branches including Oxford, Jacksonville, Piedmont
Services: Books, e-books (Alabama Digital Library), public computers, Wi-Fi, children’s programs, genealogy collection, maker space
Notes: Well-developed system for mid-sized Alabama county; Jacksonville State University library supplements local resources
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
County Parks: Calhoun County Parks – (256) 237-6741
Key Assets: Choccolocco Park (Oxford Lake area); Fort McClellan Recreation Area (former Army base); Choccolocco Mountain (off-road vehicle recreation); Talladega National Forest (adjacent)
Notes: Proximity to Talladega National Forest provides significant outdoor recreation; Talladega Superspeedway nearby; mountain biking in Choccolocco growing attraction
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Calhoun County GIS – calhouncountyal.gov/gis
Parcel Search: Available through county GIS portal
Notes: Mid-sized county with functional GIS; Anniston’s urban core generates substantial mapping activity
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Calhoun County Humane Society / Animal Services
Address: 1500 Hamric Dr W, Oxford, AL 36203
Phone: (256) 831-0217
Website: calhouncountyhumane.org
Services: Stray intake, adoptions, owner surrenders, spay/neuter programs, lost & found
Notes: Active humane society with strong adoption programs; Anniston City also has separate animal control operations
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Calhoun County Solid Waste – (256) 237-6741
Recycling: Drop-off recycling available; Oxford area has additional options
Notes: Calhoun County has an EPA ADEM regional office in Anniston due partly to its industrial/environmental history; active environmental monitoring
About Calhoun County
Calhoun County’s history is inseparable from Fort McClellan, the Army installation that operated from 1917 to 1999 and at various points trained infantry, chemical warfare, military police, and Women’s Army Corps soldiers on its 40,000-acre campus. The installation’s closure left Anniston with significant economic disruption and a complex environmental legacy – Fort McClellan is a Superfund site due to chemical and PCB contamination from both military training and the Monsanto plant that operated in Anniston for decades, releasing PCBs into the community in one of the most significant environmental contamination cases in American history.
Jacksonville State University, with about 9,000 students in the county’s smaller city of Jacksonville, provides educational anchoring. Cheaha State Park – at 2,407 feet, the highest point in Alabama – is a significant recreation destination. The county’s manufacturing economy includes defense contractors and a distribution sector, and its Talladega National Forest access gives outdoor recreation additional depth.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Alabama assesses residential property at 10% of appraised value. Property owners may appeal to the County Board of Equalization. Alabama offers a $4,000 homestead exemption off assessed value. Alabama has no estate or inheritance tax.
Public Records
Health Department: Calhoun County — contact via ADPH
Calhoun County Probate Court: 1702 Noble Street, Anniston, AL 36201 | (256) 241-2860. The Probate Court handles estate administration, guardianship, wills, and deeds. A specific note for Calhoun County: properties in areas affected by the Fort McClellan or Anniston PCB contamination may carry environmental disclosure obligations and deed restrictions – current title searches should confirm status before estate transfer.
Senior Services
East Alabama Regional Planning – Area Agency on Aging
1130 Quintard Avenue, Anniston, AL 36202
Phone: (256) 237-6741
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
PROBATE JUDGE (Deeds, Marriage Licenses, Estates)
1702 Noble St., Anniston, AL 36201
(256) 241-2825
CIRCUIT CLERK (Court Records)
1702 Noble St., Anniston, AL 36201
(256) 231-1750
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Calhoun County Probate Court (marriage licenses, will and estate files, land deeds – see Probate section above)
Local societies
Calhoun County Historical Society, P.O. Box 1771, Anniston, AL 36202
AlaBenton Genealogical Society, c/o The Alabama Room, P.O. Box 308, 108 East 10th Street, Anniston, AL 36202
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Calhoun County Probate Office 1702 Noble Street, Suite 107, Anniston, AL 36201 (256) 241-2900 Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (call ahead to confirm, especially around lunch)
Step 1: figure out which path applies
This is the fork in the road that determines everything else – how long it takes, what it costs, and whether you need an attorney.
Small/Summary Distribution – for estates made up of personal property only (no real estate) worth up to roughly $47,000 (the threshold is CPI-adjusted annually; it rose from about $36,000 to ~$47,000 under the Revised Alabama Small Estates Act, effective October 1, 2025). No personal representative is appointed, and there’s no months-long court oversight – just a single verified petition.
Formal Probate – required if the estate includes real property, exceeds the small-estate threshold, or there’s a dispute among heirs. This appoints a personal representative (an executor if there’s a will, an administrator if there isn’t) with legal authority to act for the estate.
If the estate qualifies for summary distribution
Wait at least 30 days after the death before filing – filings submitted earlier will be rejected.
The surviving spouse (if there is one) is the only person who can file; if there’s no surviving spouse, any rightful heir can.
File a verified petition with the Calhoun County Probate Court listing the decedent’s assets, debts, and heirs, plus the will if one exists.
Notice must be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county; no distribution can happen until 30 days after publication.
The petitioner must separately notify the Alabama Medicaid Agency by certified mail (Medicaid has 30 days to respond with any claim against the estate – this step is required in every case, not just where Medicaid was involved).
Once both 30-day windows close and the judge approves, the court issues an order you can present to banks or other institutions to claim and distribute the property.
Simple, uncontested cases can wrap up in weeks to a few months. Anything with disputed debts or unclear heirs takes longer.
If formal probate is required
Gather what you’ll need before your first visit: the original will (if any), several certified copies of the death certificate, a list of assets and debts, and names/addresses of all heirs and beneficiaries.
File a Petition for Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Petition for Letters of Administration (without one). Filing fee is a flat $45, plus $3/page for wills over 5 pages, and covers three certified copies of the letters.
Creditor notice must be published once a week for three successive weeks in a Calhoun County newspaper of general circulation.
If uncontested with waivers filed, a hearing may not be required; otherwise the judge holds one and, if approved, issues the Letters.
The personal representative then has 2 months to file a full inventory of estate assets, and creditors have 6 months from the grant of letters (or 5 months from first publication, whichever is later) to submit claims.
After debts and taxes are settled, the representative files a final accounting; once approved, assets are distributed and the estate is formally closed.
Alabama requires an estate to stay open a minimum of 6 months, whether or not there’s a will.
A will must be filed for probate within 5 years of the date of death, or it loses effect.
What it costs
Court filing: $45 flat (plus the per-page will fee noted above).
Personal representative compensation: capped by law at 2.5% of the estate’s value received plus 2.5% of disbursements (extra allowed for genuinely extraordinary work).
Attorney fees: not fixed by statute – negotiated between the family and the attorney. Alabama doesn’t require an attorney for probate, but most formal (non-small-estate) cases benefit from one, especially if there’s a dispute or the estate includes real property.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
PROBATE JUDGE (Deeds, Marriage Licenses, Estates)
1702 Noble St., Anniston, AL 36201
(256) 241-2825
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
400 W. 8th St., Anniston, AL 36201
(256) 236-6600
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
BOARD OF REGISTRARS (Voter Registration)
1702 Noble St., Anniston, AL 36201
(256) 241-2870
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
3000 McClellan Blvd., Anniston, AL 36201
(256) 237-9549
Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–4:30 PM
Health Dept
Calhoun County Health Dept
DHR / SNAP / Medicaid
dhr.alabama.gov 211
WIC
Up to 185% FPL — call Health Dept
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Calhoun County Health Department
Address: 3219 McClellan Blvd, Anniston, AL 36201
Phone: (256) 241-3244
Website: alabamapublichealth.gov/calhoun
Services: Immunizations, WIC, family planning, STI testing, environmental health, vital records, restaurant inspections
Notes: PCB contamination legacy in Anniston (Monsanto) creates ongoing environmental health concerns; health department actively monitors
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Anniston
Population: 113,000
Area: 612 sq mi
Established: 1832
Tier: 3
Inmate Services
Care Packages
Send care packages to inmates in Calhoun County facilities via Amazon.
