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Arizona County
Greenlee County, Arizona
Morenci - the largest copper mine in North America - from the Freeport-McMoRan Morenci Mine (the Morenci open-pit copper mine is the largest copper producing mine in North America - the massive open pit has consumed the original town of Morenci, which was relocated to accommodate the expanding operation, and the mine's production capacity and the scale of the operation - visible from miles away as a terraced pit carved into the Arizona mountains - make it one of the most significant mining operations in the Western Hemisphere) to the Coronado Historic Trail (US-191 through Greenlee County - one of the most scenic and remote highways in Arizona, winding through the Blue Range Primitive Area and the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest along the approximate route of Francisco Vásquez de Coronado's 1540 expedition).
County SeatClifton
Population9,500
Founded1909
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Alert System: AZ Alert; CodeRed; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Contact county EMA; Clifton and Morenci community facilities
FEMA Region: Region 9
Notes: Arizona’s smallest county by population; Clifton is county seat; Freeport-McMoRan’s Morenci Mine – the largest copper mine in North America – dominates the county; mining emergency planning (tailings dam safety, haul truck incidents, smelter emergency) is a primary concern; San Francisco River flooding (1983 flood was catastrophic); wildfire risk; mountain terrain
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Road Dept: Greenlee County Public Works – (928) 865-2072
Public Transit: Very limited; Freeport-McMoRan operates employee buses for mine workers; otherwise auto-dependent
Road Conditions: ADOT – az511.gov
Notes: US-191 (formerly US-666) runs through the county – the scenic Coronado Trail between Clifton and Springerville is one of Arizona’s great mountain drives; AZ-75 connects to Duncan; Morenci Mine haul trucks are enormous industrial vehicles that dominate local roads; the Coronado Trail (US-191) through the mountains to Clifton is extremely scenic but challenging – winding, narrow, and not recommended for large vehicles
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Greenlee County – (928) 865-2072
Services: Basic building permits; Clifton and Morenci have some municipal governance; Freeport-McMoRan operates essentially a company town in Morenci with its own facilities
Notes: Morenci is effectively a Freeport-McMoRan company community; the mine’s expansion has literally consumed the original Morenci townsite; mining facility construction through company/state permitting; limited other construction activity
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Greenlee County Veterans Services – (928) 865-2072
VA Medical: Tucson SAVAHCS; very remote – air or long drive required
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare enrollment
Notes: Arizona’s smallest county; telehealth critical; mine workers and veterans from Clifton area; limited local resources
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Greenlee County Library – (928) 865-2281
Branches: Clifton, Duncan; Morenci area served through county system
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, children’s programs
Notes: Very small library system serving Arizona’s least populous county; critical internet access point; copper mining heritage reflected in local collections
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Coronado Trail (US-191 – one of America’s finest mountain drives; from Clifton through the White Mountains to Springerville; spectacular scenery through Apache-Sitgreaves NF); Morenci Mine tours (limited); San Francisco River fishing; Chase Creek Historic District (Clifton – Victorian mining-era architecture); Clifton Hot Springs
Notes: The Coronado Trail is Greenlee County’s signature attraction – dramatic switchbacks, diverse ecosystems from desert to alpine, extraordinary views; Chase Creek in Clifton has notable Victorian-era architecture from the copper boom; Clifton’s location in a narrow canyon at the confluence of the San Francisco River is dramatic; the Morenci Mine pit (visible from certain vantage points) is one of the most impressive industrial landscapes in the world
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Limited; Arizona State Land Department GIS; Coronado National Forest and Apache-Sitgreaves NF GIS
Notes: Very small county with minimal local GIS; Freeport-McMoRan maintains extensive industrial GIS for mine operations; state and federal resources primary
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Greenlee County Animal Control – (928) 865-2072
Services: Very basic animal control
Notes: Very small rural county; limited resources; livestock management important (ranching in Duncan area); wildlife management through AZGFD
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Greenlee County – (928) 865-2072; Freeport-McMoRan manages its own substantial industrial waste streams
Environmental: Arizona DEQ – azdeq.gov; EPA Region 9; FREEPORT-McMoRan MORENCI MINE – the largest copper mine in North America; copper tailings impoundments; copper smelter air emissions (SO2, particulates – significant air quality concern); San Francisco River water quality; Coronado National Forest
Notes: The Morenci Mine’s environmental footprint is enormous – massive tailings dams holding billions of tons of mine waste; the smelter’s SO2 emissions have historically created air quality issues; ADEQ and EPA closely monitor Freeport-McMoRan operations; the 1983 San Francisco River flood (caused by the Labor Day storms) was catastrophic for Clifton and tested the tailings dam safety; ongoing monitoring of tailings dam integrity is critical; groundwater management in the mine area requires constant attention; the Coronado Trail corridor through the Apache-Sitgreaves NF requires fire management in a complex interface between mining operations and national forest
About Greenlee County
Greenlee County is Arizona’s copper mining heartland – the Morenci Mine is the largest copper producer in North America, and the Coronado Historic Trail through the Blue Range Primitive Area is one of the most spectacularly remote highways in the American Southwest.
Clifton (the county seat, population ~4,000) and Morenci (a company town, population ~2,000) are the county’s primary communities – Morenci is essentially a Freeport-McMoRan company town built to house mine workers after the original Morenci was demolished to expand the pit.
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Greenlee County Assessor at 253 5th Street, Clifton, AZ 85533, phone 928-865-2072. AZ residential assessment ratio 10% of limited cash value.
Courts & Legal
Greenlee County Superior Court at 253 5th Street, Clifton, AZ 85533, phone 928-865-4242, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
RECORDER (Deeds, Marriage Licenses)
253 5th St., Clifton, AZ 85533
(928) 865-2072
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Greenlee County Superior Court (marriage licenses, will and estate case files – see Probate section above)
Local societies
No dedicated Greenlee County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories, consistent with the county being Arizona’s least populous.
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
Greenlee County Superior Court 223 5th Street, Clifton, AZ 85533 (928) 865-3872 Email: [email protected] Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. & 1:00–4:00 p.m.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Arizona recently made this decision much easier for most families – a 2025 law dramatically raised the small-estate thresholds, so many more estates now qualify to skip full probate entirely.
Small Estate Affidavit (personal property) – no court case needed. Effective September 26, 2025 under House Bill 2116 (amending A.R.S. § 14-3971), this applies when personal property is worth $200,000 or less (net of liens), at least 30 days have passed since the death, and no probate case has been opened. Present the signed affidavit directly to the bank or institution holding the property.
Small Estate Affidavit (real property) – for real property with equity of $300,000 or less (net of liens), available after a 6-month wait. Must be filed with the Superior Court and then recorded with the County Recorder.
Informal Probate – the default track for uncontested estates above the small-estate thresholds. Reviewed by a court registrar, not a judge.
Formal Probate – used when the will is contested, there’s no original will, heirs are disputed, or the matter otherwise needs judicial involvement.
Supervised Administration – rare; used only when ongoing court oversight is needed to protect the estate or beneficiaries.
Arizona is a community property state – a surviving spouse already owns their half of community property outright.
If using the small estate affidavit (personal property)
Wait at least 30 days after the death.
Confirm no probate case has already been opened and total personal property (net of liens) is $200,000 or less.
Complete the affidavit under A.R.S. § 14-3971.
Present the signed affidavit with a certified death certificate directly to whoever holds the property.
If using the small estate affidavit (real property)
Wait at least 6 months after the death.
Confirm the real property’s equity is $300,000 or less.
File the affidavit with the Greenlee County Superior Court.
Record the certified affidavit with the Greenlee County Recorder.
If filing informal probate
Gather the original will (if any), a list of assets/debts/heirs, and identifying information.
File an Application for Informal Probate and Appointment of Personal Representative with the Clerk of the Superior Court.
Notice to known heirs must comply with A.R.S. § 14-3306.
The registrar reviews the application; if complete and unopposed, issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration – no hearing required.
Notice to creditors must be published once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county.
Creditors then have a 4-month claim window (A.R.S. § 14-3801) – the practical floor on how fast even a simple probate can close; most run 6–12 months.
After debts are resolved, the personal representative distributes the estate and closes it with a final accounting.
If formal probate is required
File a Petition for Formal Probate with the Superior Court.
A judge holds a hearing rather than a registrar reviewing on paper.
The same inventory, creditor-notice, and closing steps apply from there, under direct court supervision.
What it costs
Small estate affidavits: no court filing fee for the personal-property affidavit; the real-property affidavit carries a county recording fee.
Informal or formal probate filing fee: varies by county, typically $250–$400 statewide (confirm current fee with the Greenlee County Clerk).
Creditor notice publication: typically $75–$300 depending on the newspaper.
Personal representative compensation: “reasonable compensation” standard – no fixed statutory percentage.
Attorney fees: not fixed by statute; a straightforward, uncontested probate commonly runs $2,000–$7,500.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
1 Law Enforcement Dr., Clifton, AZ 85533
(928) 865-4149
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Dept
(928) 865-2950
DES / SNAP / Medicaid
(855) 432-7587
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Greenlee County Health Department – (928) 865-2601
Services: Immunizations, WIC, STI testing, environmental health, vital records
Hospital: Mount Graham Regional Medical Center (Safford – adjacent Graham County) is the nearest hospital; Clifton has limited medical clinic services; Freeport-McMoRan provides occupational health services to mine employees
Notes: Very small county; limited local healthcare; mine workers receive Freeport-McMoRan occupational health services; San Francisco River watershed water quality monitoring
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Clifton
Population: 9,500
Area: 1,843 sq mi
Established: 1909
Tier: 3
Public Records
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