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Alabama County
Washington County, Alabama
St. Stephens - Alabama's first territorial capital - from St. Stephens Historic Site (the site of Alabama's first territorial capital established in 1817 - before Montgomery, before Tuscaloosa, the community of St. Stephens on the Tombigbee River was where Alabama Territory first organized its government, and the archaeological remains and historical markers at the site document this founding moment in Alabama history) to Washington County's significant timber economy and the Tombigbee River's scenic southwest Alabama corridor.
County SeatChatom
Population16,000
Founded1800
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Office: Washington County Emergency Management Agency
Address: 401 Court St, Chatom, AL 36518
Phone: (251) 847-2208
Alert System: AL Alert statewide; CodeRed
Shelter Info: Contact EMA for shelter locations; hurricane/tropical storm planning due to south Alabama location
FEMA Region: Region 4
Notes: Southwest Alabama rural county near Mississippi border; hurricane and tropical storm risk; Tombigbee River forms part of western boundary (flood risk); tornado corridor; one of Alabama’s largest counties geographically but sparsely populated; timber industry dominant
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Road Dept: Washington County Highway Department
Phone: (251) 847-2208
Public Transit: Very limited; demand-response only; extremely rural and large county
Road Conditions: ALDOT – algotraffic.com
Notes: US-43 is main north-south corridor; extremely rural; Chatom is county seat; Mobile and Meridian, MS are nearest significant urban centers; personal vehicle required for all transportation
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Washington County Commission
Address: 401 Court St, Chatom, AL 36518
Phone: (251) 847-2208
Services: Basic building permits for unincorporated areas
Notes: Chatom and other small towns have separate permits; very limited development activity; timber industry the dominant land use
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Washington County Veterans Service Office
Address: 401 Court St, Chatom, AL 36518
Phone: (251) 847-2208
VA Medical: Gulf Coast VA – Biloxi, MS | (228) 523-5000; Mobile VA Clinic – (251) 219-3565
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare enrollment
Notes: Rural border county; Mobile VA clinic more accessible than Gulf Coast facility
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Washington County Public Library
Address: 14009 St Hwy 17, Chatom, AL 36518
Phone: (251) 847-2097
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, Alabama Digital Library
Notes: Small rural library serving very dispersed population; important internet access point
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Tombigbee River water recreation; McIntosh Bluff (high bluffs above Tombigbee – scenic); hunting on extensive private timberlands; limited developed recreation facilities
Notes: Washington County is one of Alabama’s most rural counties; outdoor recreation centers on hunting and fishing on private timberlands and public waterways; the Tombigbee River corridor offers fishing and boating; limited tourism infrastructure
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Very limited; Alabama state GIS – alabamamaps.ua.edu
Notes: Very large, very rural county; minimal GIS resources; state resources primary access
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Washington County Animal Control
Phone: (251) 847-2208 (County Commission)
Services: Very basic animal control
Notes: Extremely limited resources; large geographic area creates animal control challenges
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Washington County Solid Waste – (251) 847-2208
Recycling: Minimal
Environmental: Tombigbee River watershed; timber industry; ADEM – adem.alabama.gov; McIntosh (Washington County) has chemical industrial facility (Olin Corporation) – significant environmental monitoring
Notes: Olin Corporation’s chemical manufacturing facility in McIntosh is the primary industrial environmental presence in Washington County; ADEM actively monitors Olin’s operations; Tombigbee River water quality management is critical given downstream uses; timber industry is the dominant land use with forestry management environmental considerations
About Washington County
Washington County is southwest Alabama’s first territorial capital county – St. Stephens on the Tombigbee River was where Alabama Territory first organized its government in 1817, making Washington County the cradle of Alabama’s governmental history.
Chatom (the county seat, population ~1,200) is a small timber belt community. The St. Stephens Historical Commission preserves the site of Alabama’s first capital along the Tombigbee River.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Washington County Revenue Commissioner at 401 Court Street, Suite 2, Chatom, AL 36518, phone 251-847-2513. AL residential assessed at 10% of market value.
Public Records
Home Health / Life Care: 1-800-239-6891 or (251) 847-6801
Home Health & Life Care Fax: (251) 206-6927
Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Clinic: 8 AM–5 PM Mon–Fri per ADPH)
WIC, environmental, home care, life care, clinical (STD, family planning, vaccines, breast/cervical cancer screening)
Search Washington County public records for Chatom, McIntosh, and Washington County residents.
Courts & Legal
Washington County Probate Court at 401 Court Street, Chatom, AL 36518, phone 251-847-2208, handles probate.
Senior Services
Senior Services: —
Public Transportation: Listed as a county service on wcalabama.com (confirm via website)
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
PROBATE JUDGE (Deeds, Marriage Licenses, Estates)
401 Court St., Chatom, AL 36518
(251) 847-2208
CIRCUIT CLERK (Court Records)
401 Court St., Chatom, AL 36518
(251) 847-2208
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Washington County Probate Court (marriage licenses, will and estate files, land deeds – see Probate section above). Note: Washington is Alabama’s oldest county (1800), predating statehood.
Local societies
Washington County Alabama Historical & Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 399, Chatom, AL 36518
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
Washington County Probate Office 45 Court Street, Chatom, AL 36518 Mailing address: P.O. Box 549, Chatom, AL 36518 (251) 847-2201 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 Washington 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 Washington 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)
401 Court St., Chatom, AL 36518
(251) 847-2208
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
201 2nd Ave. NW, Chatom, AL 36518
(251) 847-2601
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
BOARD OF REGISTRARS (Voter Registration)
401 Court St., Chatom, AL 36518
(251) 847-2208
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
53 Courthouse Square, Chatom, AL 36518
(251) 847-2258
Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–4:30 PM
Health Dept
Washington County Health Dept
DHR / SNAP / Medicaid
dhr.alabama.gov 211
WIC
Up to 185% FPL — call Health Dept
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Washington County Health Department
Address: 401 Court St, Chatom, AL 36518
Phone: (251) 847-3366
Website: alabamapublichealth.gov/washington
Services: Immunizations, WIC, family planning, STI testing, environmental health, vital records
Notes: Very limited local healthcare; Washington County Hospital provides limited services; health department is critical safety net for dispersed rural population
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Chatom
Population: 16,000
Area: 1,081 sq mi
Established: 1800
Tier: 3
Public Records
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