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Alabama County
Winston County, Alabama
The Free State of Winston - Alabama's Unionist county - from Winston County's extraordinary Civil War dissent (when Alabama seceded from the Union in 1861, the largely non-slaveholding farmers of Winston County held their own convention at Looney's Tavern and voted to secede from Alabama - the "Free State of Winston" became a symbol of Southern Unionist resistance, and Winston County men formed Union Army units while neighbors fought for the Confederacy, creating family divisions that lasted generations) to Bankhead National Forest (the 180,000-acre national forest covering much of Winston County - the Sipsey Wilderness, one of Alabama's finest primitive areas, and the Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River provide exceptional hiking, fishing, and backcountry recreation).
County SeatDouble Springs
Population23,540
Founded1850
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Office: Winston County Emergency Management Agency
Address: 1 Court House Sq, Double Springs, AL 35553
Phone: (205) 489-3040
Alert System: AL Alert statewide; CodeRed
Shelter Info: Contact EMA for shelter locations
FEMA Region: Region 4
Notes: Northwest Alabama mountain county; tornado corridor; Bankhead National Forest covers much of the county; Double Springs is county seat; Winston County is famous as the “Free State of Winston” – it voted against secession in 1861; rural Appalachian mountain county with very limited resources
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Road Dept: Winston County Highway Department
Phone: (205) 489-3040
Public Transit: Very limited; demand-response only; rural mountain county
Road Conditions: ALDOT – algotraffic.com
Notes: US-278 is main corridor; Double Springs is a small county seat; Bankhead National Forest roads maintained by USFS; extremely rural; Jasper (Walker County) is nearest significant center
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Winston County Commission
Address: 1 Court House Sq, Double Springs, AL 35553
Phone: (205) 489-3040
Services: Basic building permits for unincorporated areas
Notes: Very limited development activity; Bankhead National Forest permits through USFS; small rural mountain county
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Winston County Veterans Service Office
Address: 1 Court House Sq, Double Springs, AL 35553
Phone: (205) 489-3040
VA Medical: Birmingham VA – (205) 933-8101; Tuscaloosa VA – (205) 554-2000
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare enrollment
Notes: Rural mountain county; travel to VA facilities required
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Winston County Public Library
Address: 1 Court House Sq, Double Springs, AL 35553
Phone: (205) 489-5358
Branches: Haleyville Branch – (205) 486-2575 (Haleyville is the county’s largest city)
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, Alabama Digital Library
Notes: Two-branch system; Haleyville branch serves the largest population center; important internet access in rural mountain county; the “Free State of Winston” heritage is a point of local pride
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: William B. Bankhead National Forest (large portion – premier Alabama outdoor recreation area including Sipsey Wilderness); Sipsey Wilderness Area (Alabama’s only federally designated wilderness – spectacular canyon and waterfall terrain); Double Springs area recreation; Natural Bridge near Haleyville (longest natural bridge east of the Rockies – 148 ft long, 60 ft high); Clear Creek Recreation Area (Bankhead NF)
Notes: Winston County has extraordinary outdoor recreation; Sipsey Wilderness is Alabama’s crown jewel for wilderness hiking – “Land of 1,000 Waterfalls” in the spring; Clear Creek Recreation Area (swimming, camping, hiking) is an outstanding Bankhead NF facility; Natural Bridge near Haleyville is a spectacular geological landmark; the “Free State of Winston” heritage and Civil War Unionists’ legacy is a unique cultural tourism angle
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Very limited; Alabama state GIS – alabamamaps.ua.edu
Notes: Small rural mountain county; USFS maintains separate mapping for Bankhead National Forest lands; basic state GIS primary access
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Winston County Animal Control
Phone: (205) 489-3040 (County Commission)
Services: Basic animal control
Notes: Very limited shelter resources; Haleyville area has some organized animal welfare efforts
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Winston County Solid Waste – (205) 489-3040
Recycling: Minimal
Environmental: William B. Bankhead National Forest management (USFS); Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River watershed; ADEM – adem.alabama.gov
Notes: Bankhead National Forest covers much of Winston County – federal forest management is the dominant environmental governance; Sipsey Fork water quality is exceptional and carefully protected; the Sipsey Wilderness watershed is a priority conservation area; limited agricultural and minimal industrial environmental concerns given the forest character of the county
About Winston County
Winston County is Alabama’s Free State – the only Alabama county that voted to secede from the Confederacy in 1861, creating a Unionist enclave in the heart of the Deep South whose independent spirit defines the community’s identity 160 years later.
Double Springs (the county seat, population ~1,000) preserves the Free State heritage, while the Bankhead National Forest’s Sipsey Wilderness provides some of the finest backcountry hiking in Alabama.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Winston County Revenue Commissioner at 1 Court Square, Suite 3, Double Springs, AL 35553, phone 205-489-5166. AL residential assessed at 10% of market value.
DHR / SNAP / Medicaid: Via dhr.alabama.gov/county-office-contact/
Recommended
Search Winston County public records for Double Springs, Haleyville, and Winston County residents.
Courts & Legal
Winston County Probate Court at 1 Court Square, Double Springs, AL 35553, phone 205-489-5533, 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)
4 Courthouse Square, Double Springs, AL 35553
(205) 489-5533
CIRCUIT CLERK (Court Records)
4 Courthouse Square, Double Springs, AL 35553
(205) 489-5533
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Winston County Probate Court (marriage licenses, will and estate files, land deeds – see Probate section above). Note: Winston was historically known as the “Free State of Winston” for its Unionist stance during the Civil War, a fact often noted in local histories.
Local societies
Winston County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 112, Double Springs, AL 35553
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
Winston County Probate Office 25125 Highway 195, Suite 1, Double Springs, AL 35553 Mailing address: P.O. Box 27, Double Springs, AL 35553 (205) 489-5219 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 Winston 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 Winston 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)
4 Courthouse Square, Double Springs, AL 35553
(205) 489-5533
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
26 Deputy Ave., Double Springs, AL 35553
(205) 489-4313
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
BOARD OF REGISTRARS (Voter Registration)
4 Courthouse Square, Double Springs, AL 35553
(205) 489-5533
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
1 Health Dept. Rd., Double Springs, AL 35553
(205) 489-5505
Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–4:30 PM
Health Dept
Winston County Health Dept
DHR / SNAP / Medicaid
dhr.alabama.gov 211
WIC
Up to 185% FPL — call Health Dept
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Winston County Health Department
Address: 35 Industrial Park Dr, Double Springs, AL 35553
Phone: (205) 489-5472
Website: alabamapublichealth.gov/winston
Services: Immunizations, WIC, family planning, STI testing, environmental health, vital records
Notes: Very rural mountain county; very limited local healthcare; health department is primary healthcare access for many residents; nearest hospital is in Jasper (Walker County)
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Double Springs
Population: 23,540
Area: 613 sq mi
Established: 1850
Tier: 3
Public Records
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