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Alabama County
Pickens County, Alabama
The Face in the Courthouse Window and Aliceville's German POW camp - from the Face in the Courthouse Window (the Carrollton courthouse attic window reportedly shows the ghostly image of Henry Wells, a freed slave accused of burning the original courthouse who was struck by lightning while looking out the window during his arrest in 1878 - the stain on the glass has defied cleaning and replacement for 145 years, becoming one of Alabama's most enduring and celebrated ghost legends) to the Aliceville POW camp (the Aliceville prisoner of war camp held over 6,000 German prisoners during World War II, and the Aliceville Museum preserves this extraordinary chapter of wartime Alabama history).
County SeatCarrollton
Population19,123
Founded1820
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Office: Pickens County Emergency Management Agency
Address: 6 Courthouse Square, Carrollton, AL 35447
Phone: (205) 367-2010
Alert System: AL Alert statewide; CodeRed
Shelter Info: Contact EMA for shelter locations
FEMA Region: Region 4
Notes: West Alabama rural county; Tombigbee River western boundary; tornado corridor; Carrollton is county seat (famous for the “Face in the Courthouse Window” – local legend); limited emergency management resources
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Road Dept: Pickens County Highway Department
Phone: (205) 367-2010
Public Transit: Very limited; demand-response only; rural west Alabama
Road Conditions: ALDOT – algotraffic.com
Notes: US-82 runs through county; Carrollton is county seat; Tuscaloosa is nearest significant urban center; rural county with limited transit
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Pickens County Commission
Address: 6 Courthouse Square, Carrollton, AL 35447
Phone: (205) 367-2010
Services: Basic building permits for unincorporated areas
Notes: City of Carrollton and municipalities have separate permits; very limited development activity
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Pickens County Veterans Service Office
Address: 6 Courthouse Square, Carrollton, AL 35447
Phone: (205) 367-2010
VA Medical: Tuscaloosa VA – (205) 554-2000; Birmingham VA – (205) 933-8101
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare enrollment
Notes: Tuscaloosa VA is nearest major facility; rural county with transportation challenges
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Pickens County Public Library
Address: 6 Courthouse Square, Carrollton, AL 35447
Phone: (205) 367-8305
Branches: Aliceville, Reform, Gordo
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, Alabama Digital Library
Notes: Multi-branch system serving large rural county; the famous “Face in the Courthouse Window” legend (Henry Wells’ face reportedly imprinted in glass during 1878 storm) is a unique local attraction drawing curious visitors
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Aliceville Lake (Tombigbee River reservoir – fishing, boating); German POW Camp Aliceville Museum (WWII – unique historical attraction); Luxapalila Creek recreation; hunting on private timberlands
Notes: Aliceville Lake on the Tombigbee Waterway provides water recreation; the German POW Camp Aliceville Museum is a nationally unique WWII history attraction (one of the largest POW camps in the US held over 6,000 German prisoners); the “Face in the Courthouse Window” in Carrollton is a famous local curiosity
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Limited; Alabama state GIS – alabamamaps.ua.edu
Notes: Small rural county; basic GIS through state resources
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Pickens County Animal Control
Phone: (205) 367-2010 (County Commission)
Services: Basic animal control
Notes: Very limited shelter resources
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Pickens County Solid Waste – (205) 367-2010
Notes: Tombigbee River water quality important for Aliceville Lake recreation; timber industry dominant land use; limited industrial environmental concerns
About Pickens County
Pickens County is west Alabama’s ghost window and WWII POW camp county – the 145-year-old mysterious face etched into a courthouse window and the German prisoner of war camp that held 6,000 captives define two of Alabama’s most unusual historical claims.
Carrollton (the county seat, population ~1,000) has attracted curious visitors for generations to see the Face in the Courthouse Window – a ghostly image that has resisted every attempt at removal or explanation. Aliceville’s POW museum documents the German prisoners who spent the war in rural Alabama.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Pickens County Revenue Commissioner at 50 Courthouse Square, Suite 1, Carrollton, AL 35447, phone 205-367-2040. AL residential assessed at 10% of market value.
DHR / SNAP / Medicaid: Via dhr.alabama.gov/county-office-contact/
Recommended
Search Pickens County public records for Carrollton, Aliceville, Reform, and Pickens County residents.
Courts & Legal
Pickens County Probate Court at 50 Courthouse Square, Carrollton, AL 35447, phone 205-367-2010, handles probate.
Senior Services
Senior Services: —
Transportation: —
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
PROBATE JUDGE (Deeds, Marriage Licenses, Estates)
50 Courthouse Square, Carrollton, AL 35447
(205) 367-2020
CIRCUIT CLERK (Court Records)
50 Courthouse Square, Carrollton, AL 35447
(205) 367-2020
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Pickens County Probate Court (marriage licenses, will and estate files, land deeds – see Probate section above)
Local societies
Pickens County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 336, Gordo, AL 35466
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
Pickens County Probate Office 50 Courthouse Square, Room 106, Carrollton, AL 35447 Mailing address: P.O. Box 370, Carrollton, AL 35447 (205) 367-2010 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 Pickens 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 Pickens 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)
50 Courthouse Square, Carrollton, AL 35447
(205) 367-2020
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
50 Courthouse Square, Carrollton, AL 35447
(205) 367-2000
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
BOARD OF REGISTRARS (Voter Registration)
50 Courthouse Square, Carrollton, AL 35447
(205) 367-2020
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
66 Medical Center Dr., Carrollton, AL 35447
(205) 367-2088
Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–4:30 PM
Health Dept
Pickens County Health Dept
DHR / SNAP / Medicaid
dhr.alabama.gov 211
WIC
Up to 185% FPL — call Health Dept
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Pickens County Health Department
Address: 206 Carrollton St, Carrollton, AL 35447
Phone: (205) 367-8188
Website: alabamapublichealth.gov/pickens
Services: Immunizations, WIC, family planning, STI testing, environmental health, vital records
Notes: Rural west Alabama county with limited local healthcare; health department serves dispersed population
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Carrollton
Population: 19,123
Area: 881 sq mi
Established: 1820
Tier: 3
Public Records
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