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Arkansas County
Boone County, Arkansas
Buffalo National River and the Ozark Mountain gateway - from the Buffalo National River (America's first national river, designated 1972 - the Buffalo flows 135 miles through the Arkansas Ozarks, its spring-fed waters passing beneath 400-foot limestone bluffs in a landscape unchanged since the last Ice Age - Boone County's upper Buffalo corridor is the most dramatic stretch of the river, with Boxley Valley's elk herd and the iconic Ponca low-water bridge drawing photographers and paddlers year-round) to Harrison's Dogpatch USA amusement park legacy and the Ozark Mountain Christmas celebrations that draw visitors from across the region.
County SeatHarrison
Population38,000
Founded1869
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Office: Boone County Office of Emergency Management
Address: 100 N Main St, Harrison, AR 72601
Phone: (870) 741-8428
Alert System: AR Alert; CodeRed; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Contact county OEM; Harrison community facilities
FEMA Region: Region 6
Notes: North-central Arkansas Ozark county; Harrison is county seat; Buffalo National River headwaters area; tornado corridor; flash flooding (Crooked Creek, Buffalo River tributary – significant flash flood events); winter weather at Ozark elevation; Harrison has been noted for racial tensions historically
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Road Dept: Boone County Road Department – (870) 741-8428
Public Transit: Very limited; demand-response; rural Ozark county
Road Conditions: ARDOT – idrivearkansas.com
Notes: US-65 north-south is the main corridor (connects Harrison to Branson, MO and Little Rock); US-412 east-west; Harrison is a regional hub for north-central Arkansas; Crooked Creek and Buffalo River terrain makes road maintenance challenging
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Boone County – (870) 741-8428
Services: Basic building permits; Harrison and Bergman have separate permits
Notes: Harrison is a regional center; moderate growth; Buffalo National River tourism generates some hospitality facility development; retirement community growth
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Boone County Veterans Service Office – (870) 741-8428
VA Medical: Fayetteville VAMC – (479) 443-4301; Mountain Home VA clinic also accessible
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare enrollment
Notes: Rural Ozark county; VA access requires travel; Harrison has an active American Legion and VFW community
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Boone County Library – (870) 741-5913 | boonecountylibrary.org
Address: 221 W Stephenson Ave, Harrison, AR 72601
Services: Books, e-books, public computers, Wi-Fi, Ozark history collection, children’s programs
Notes: Active community library in Ozark regional center; genealogy resources reflecting deep Ozark pioneer heritage
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Buffalo National River (headwaters in Boone County – America’s first National River designated by Congress; pristine Ozark river; world-class float trips, fishing, hiking; Boxley Valley elk viewing); Lost Valley Trail; Steel Creek Campground; Mystic Caverns and Crystal Dome Cave (Harrison area – two show caves); Crooked Creek trout fishing; Bull Shoals Lake (partial – eastern Boone County border)
Notes: Buffalo National River is the crown jewel of the Ozarks – a free-flowing river preserved through a hard political battle in the 1960s-70s; the river’s clarity and beauty attract paddlers from across the country; Boxley Valley’s elk herd (relocated Rocky Mountain elk) is one of Arkansas’s most spectacular wildlife viewing opportunities – hundreds of elk often visible at dawn and dusk; Mystic Caverns and Crystal Dome are excellent show caves for the family tourism market
Notes: County GIS; NPS GIS for Buffalo National River; USGS topographic maps essential for Ozark terrain
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Boone County Animal Shelter – (870) 741-5402
Services: Stray intake, adoptions, animal control
Notes: Ozark rural county; Boone County Humane Society active; wildlife management through AGFC; elk management through AGFC and NPS near Buffalo River
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Boone County – (870) 741-8428; Harrison city sanitation
Environmental: Arkansas DEQ; NPS (Buffalo National River); Buffalo River watershed – the most critically important water quality issue in the county is protecting the Buffalo National River from pollution; hog farming controversy (C&H Hog Farms permit near the headwaters generated national attention)
Notes: The Buffalo National River watershed protection is the defining environmental issue for Boone County; a large-scale hog farm (C&H Hog Farms) permitted near the Buffalo River headwaters generated a major national controversy and environmental lawsuit (2013-2020) over the threat of hog waste runoff to the river; the permit was ultimately not renewed; protecting this pristine Ozark river from agricultural pollution remains the top environmental priority; Crooked Creek water quality monitoring is also important
About Boone County
Boone County is north-central Arkansas’s Buffalo National River gateway county – the upper Buffalo’s 400-foot limestone bluffs and Boxley Valley elk herd make it one of the most photographed landscapes in the Arkansas Ozarks.
Harrison (the county seat, population ~13,000) is the commercial hub for the upper Buffalo River region – its proximity to the national river and the Missouri border makes it an important gateway for Ozark tourism. The Boxley Valley section of the Buffalo, with its restored elk herd and iconic bluff scenery, is among the most visited natural areas in Arkansas.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Local DHS office: Harrison (confirm via dhs.arkansas.gov)
Recommended
Search Boone County public records for Harrison, Bergman, Omaha, and Boone County residents.
Courts & Legal
Boone County Circuit Clerk at 100 N. Main Street, Harrison, AR 72601, phone 870-741-5560, handles probate.
Senior Services
Area Agency on Aging: North Central Arkansas Area Agency on Aging — confirm name/contact
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
100 N. Main St., Harrison, AR 72601
(870) 741-8428
CIRCUIT CLERK (Deeds, Court Records)
100 N. Main St., Harrison, AR 72601
(870) 741-5560
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Boone County Clerk, Probate Division (marriage licenses, will and estate case files – see Probate section above)
Local societies
No dedicated Boone County genealogical or historical society was confirmed in available directories.
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
In Boone County, probate matters are handled by the County Clerk’s Office, while other Circuit Court matters (civil, criminal, domestic relations, juvenile) go through the separate Circuit Clerk.
Boone County Clerk – Probate Division 100 N. Main Street, Suite 200, Harrison, AR 72601 (870) 741-8428 (Probate Division specifically); (870) 741-5560 (Circuit Clerk, for other case types) 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
203 S. Walnut St., Harrison, AR 72601
(870) 741-8404
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Unit
(870) 741-7400
DHS / SNAP / Medicaid
(800) 482-8988
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Boone County Health Unit – (870) 741-8494
Services: Immunizations, WIC, family planning, STI testing, environmental health, vital records
Hospital: North Arkansas Regional Medical Center (Harrison) – (870) 414-4000
Notes: NARMC serves the north-central Arkansas region including parts of southern Missouri; rural regional hospital with critical access responsibilities; Buffalo River tourism creates seasonal healthcare demand spikes
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