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Arkansas County
Ashley County, Arkansas
Crossett's Georgia-Pacific paper mill and the Ashley County timber heritage - from Crossett's Georgia-Pacific paper and chemical complex (one of the largest integrated paper and chemical manufacturing operations in the South - the Crossett facility has been the economic anchor of Ashley County since the 1950s, employing thousands in timber harvesting, pulpwood processing, and paper manufacturing in the deep south Arkansas piney woods) to Ashley County's position in the Arkansas Coastal Plain timber belt and the Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge's bottomland hardwood habitat.
County SeatHamburg
Population19,062
Founded1848
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What do you need to do?
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Office: Ashley County Office of Emergency Management
Address: 205 E Jefferson St, Hamburg, AR 71646
Phone: (870) 853-2070
Alert System: AR Alert; CodeRed; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Contact county OEM; Hamburg community facilities
FEMA Region: Region 6
Notes: Southeast Arkansas Delta/timberland county; Hamburg is county seat; Crossett is the largest city (Domtar paper mill – major industrial employer); tornado corridor; flooding (Bayou Bartholomew – one of the longest bayous in North America runs through county); severe thunderstorm risk
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Road Dept: Ashley County Road Department – (870) 853-2070
Public Transit: Very limited; demand-response; rural county
Road Conditions: ARDOT – idrivearkansas.com
Notes: US-82 and US-278 are main corridors; Crossett and Hamburg are the main communities; Domtar paper mill is the largest employer; rural timber and agricultural county; rail access through Crossett important for paper/timber industry
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Ashley County – (870) 853-2070
Services: Basic building permits; Hamburg and Crossett have separate permits
Notes: Paper mill and timber industry generates industrial permits; limited residential development; rural agricultural and timber county
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Ashley County Veterans Service Office – (870) 853-2070
VA Medical: Overton Brooks VAMC – Shreveport, LA (closer than Little Rock for Ashley County); Central Arkansas VA – Little Rock
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare enrollment
Notes: Rural southeast Arkansas; VA access to either Little Rock or Shreveport requires significant travel
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Ashley County Library System
Hamburg: (870) 853-2078; Crossett: (870) 364-2686
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, Arkansas collection, children’s programs
Notes: Two-branch system; Crossett branch busier reflecting larger population; rural library serving timber and agricultural community
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Bayou Bartholomew (one of the longest bayous in the world – exceptional fishing and paddling corridor); Overflow NWR (southeast Arkansas – waterfowl); Hamburg City Lake; Felsenthal NWR (nearby – Union County); hunting on private timberlands; Crossett Experimental Forest (USFS research forest)
Notes: Bayou Bartholomew is a remarkable natural resource – a 375-mile bayou with extraordinary biodiversity; hunting and fishing are central to Ashley County’s culture; the Crossett Experimental Forest is one of the oldest USFS research forests in the South; Domtar’s managed forests are also significant for outdoor recreation
Notes: Rural county; basic GIS through state resources; Bayou Bartholomew watershed mapping important
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Ashley County Animal Control – (870) 853-2070
Services: Basic animal control; rural county with limited resources
Notes: Rural timber/agricultural county; livestock management; hunting dog culture
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Ashley County – (870) 853-2070
Environmental: Arkansas DEQ – adeq.arkansas.gov; DOMTAR PAPER MILL (Crossett) – significant industrial environmental presence; Bayou Bartholomew water quality; Crossett Paper Mill has historically been subject to environmental complaints regarding air emissions and water quality; ADEQ oversight
Notes: The Domtar paper mill in Crossett has been the subject of community environmental health concerns – residents have reported health issues associated with mill emissions; ADEQ monitors air and water quality; Bayou Bartholomew water quality is a conservation priority given its biological significance; timber industry land management and reforestation are important county-wide
About Ashley County
Ashley County is southeast Arkansas’s timber and paper mill county – Crossett’s Georgia-Pacific complex has anchored the county’s economy for decades in the deep south Arkansas piney woods near the Louisiana border.
Crossett (population ~5,000) is built around the paper and chemical manufacturing complex that transformed a timber town into a significant industrial community. The piney woods surrounding Crossett provide the timber resources that have sustained the operation.
Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge – 65,000 acres of bottomland hardwood and cypress-tupelo wetlands – provides exceptional waterfowl habitat and fishing.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Local DHS office: Hamburg or Crossett (confirm via dhs.arkansas.gov)
Recommended
Search Ashley County public records for Hamburg, Crossett, and Ashley County residents.
Courts & Legal
Ashley County Circuit Clerk at 205 E. Jefferson Street, Hamburg, AR 71646, phone 870-853-2020, handles probate.
Senior Services
Area Agency on Aging: Southeast Arkansas Area Agency on Aging (SEAAAA) — serves Ashley County
Meals on Wheels, transportation, senior centers, in-home services
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
205 E. Jefferson St., Hamburg, AR 71646
(870) 853-2020
CIRCUIT CLERK (Deeds, Court Records)
205 E. Jefferson St., Hamburg, AR 71646
(870) 853-2060
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Ashley County Circuit/County Clerk (marriage licenses, will and estate case files – see Probate section above)
Local societies
Ashley County Genealogical Society, P.O. Drawer R, Crossett, AR 71635
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
Ashley County Circuit/County Clerk – Probate Division 215 East Jefferson Street, Hamburg, AR 71646 (870) 853-2032 Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Arkansas has one of the more generous small-estate thresholds in the country, so check this first.
Small Estate Affidavit – for estates where total property value (after debts, excluding the homestead and statutory spousal/minor-child allowances) is $100,000 or less. Available 45 days after the death. Filed using Form 23 (Affidavit for Collection of Small Estate by Distributee) under Ark. Code § 28-41-101 – no personal representative is appointed, and no full administration is needed.
Independent Administration – available when the will authorizes it, or when all heirs agree to it. The personal representative acts with minimal court oversight at each step.
Supervised Administration – the traditional, more heavily court-involved track; used for contested estates or when independent administration isn’t available or agreed to.
Administration with Will Annexed – used when a valid will doesn’t name an executor, or the named executor can’t or won’t serve.
If using the small estate affidavit
Wait at least 45 days after the death.
Confirm the estate’s total value (after debts, excluding homestead and statutory allowances) is $100,000 or less and there are no unresolved claims against the estate.
Complete Form 23, the Affidavit for Collection of Small Estate by Distributee, listing the property and heirs.
File it with the Probate Clerk, or present it with a certified death certificate directly to banks or other institutions holding the property.
If filing for independent or supervised administration
Gather the original will (if any), a certified death certificate, a list of assets/debts, and names of heirs.
File a Petition for Probate of Will and Appointment of Personal Representative (Form 3, if there’s a will) or a Petition for Appointment of Administrator/Administratrix (Form 2, if there isn’t) with the Probate Division. Filing fee is $165.
If there’s a will, the court formally admits it to probate; the court then issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
The personal representative must file an inventory of estate assets within 2 months of appointment.
Creditor notice must be published in a local newspaper, plus direct notice to known creditors; creditors then have 6 months from the date of first publication to file claims.
If independent administration applies, the personal representative can act on most matters without seeking court approval at each step.
After debts are resolved, the personal representative files a final settlement with the court; once approved, the estate closes.
What it costs
Small estate affidavit: no separate court filing fee (a nominal recording fee may apply depending on what’s being transferred).
Formal probate filing fee: $165 (may vary somewhat by county).
Personal representative and attorney compensation: no fixed statutory rate – courts typically look to roughly 2–5% of the estate’s value as a reasonable baseline, subject to court approval as “just and reasonable.”
No state estate tax or inheritance tax in Arkansas.
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
300 N. Cherry St., Hamburg, AR 71646
(870) 853-2091
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Unit
(870) 853-5233
DHS / SNAP / Medicaid
(800) 482-8988
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Ashley County Health Unit – Hamburg: (870) 853-2152; Crossett: (870) 364-2161
Services: Immunizations, WIC, family planning, STI testing, environmental health, vital records
Hospital: Ashley County Medical Center (Crossett) – (870) 364-4111
Notes: Ashley County Medical Center is a critical access hospital; Domtar mill workers create occupational health considerations; Delta health disparities present; limited specialty care locally
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Hamburg
Population: 19,062
Area: 572 sq mi
Established: 1848
Tier: 3
Public Records
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