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Arkansas County
Hot Spring County, Arkansas
Malvern's Brickyard Capital and the Ouachita foothills - from Malvern's distinction as the Brick Capital of the World (the abundance of high-quality clay deposits in Hot Spring County supported a brick manufacturing industry that at its peak produced more bricks than any other location in the United States - Malvern's brick plants supplied construction projects across the South and Midwest for over a century) to Hot Spring County's position in the Ouachita Mountain foothills between Little Rock and the Hot Springs resort community and Lake Catherine State Park's Ouachita River recreation.
County SeatMalvern
Population34,000
Founded1829
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Office: Hot Spring County Office of Emergency Management
Address: 210 Locust St, Malvern, AR 72104
Phone: (501) 332-2281
Alert System: AR Alert; CodeRed; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Contact county OEM; Malvern community facilities
FEMA Region: Region 6
Notes: West-central Arkansas; Malvern is county seat (“The Brick Capital of the World” – Hot Spring County has extensive brick manufacturing heritage); Ouachita River runs through county; Lake Catherine and Lake Ouachita (Ouachita County) nearby; tornado corridor; flash flooding; I-30 corridor county
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Road Dept: Hot Spring County Road Department – (501) 332-2281
Public Transit: Limited; demand-response; I-30 corridor county
Road Conditions: ARDOT – idrivearkansas.com
Notes: I-30 runs through Malvern (exits 97-100) connecting Little Rock to Hot Springs/Texarkana; US-270 connects to Hot Springs; Malvern is 35 miles southwest of Little Rock; growing as Little Rock/Hot Springs corridor community; railroad through Malvern important for brick industry
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Hot Spring County – (501) 332-2281
Services: Building permits; Malvern, Bismarck, Donaldson, Perla separate
Notes: I-30 commercial development; growing as corridor community between Little Rock and Hot Springs; brick industry construction (plant expansion/maintenance); moderate residential growth
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Hot Spring County Veterans Service Office – (501) 332-2281
VA Medical: Central Arkansas VA (Little Rock) – 35 miles northeast on I-30; very accessible
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare enrollment
Notes: I-30 access makes Little Rock VA quite accessible; active veteran community in Malvern area
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Hot Spring County Library – (501) 332-5441
Address: Malvern area; Bismarck Branch
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, children’s programs; brick industry heritage materials
Notes: County library; “Brick Capital” heritage reflected in local collections; Hot Springs public library accessible for some residents
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Lake Catherine State Park – arkansasstateparks.com | (501) 844-4176 (excellent bass fishing; camping; cabins; swimming beach; one of Arkansas’s finer state parks); Ouachita River fishing and floating; Caddo River access; I-30 tourism corridor; Malvern National Bank hot air balloon festival (annual); brick heritage tourism
Notes: Lake Catherine is a beautiful Ouachita River reservoir state park; outstanding bass fishing and a lovely setting in the Ouachita foothills; the Malvern balloon festival is a beloved regional event; Hot Spring County’s brick manufacturing heritage (the county has produced more bricks than any county in Arkansas) is a distinctive industrial identity – many famous buildings across the US were built with Malvern bricks
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Hot Spring County GIS; Arkansas GIS – gis.arkansas.gov
Notes: County GIS; Army Corps Lake Catherine mapping; Ouachita River watershed mapping
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Hot Spring County Animal Control – (501) 332-2281; Malvern Humane Society
Services: Stray intake, adoptions, animal control
Notes: Moderate humane community; I-30 corridor brings some abandoned animals
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Hot Spring County – (501) 332-2281; Malvern city sanitation
Environmental: Arkansas DEQ; Army Corps (Lake Catherine – Ouachita River system); Ouachita River watershed; brick manufacturing environmental compliance (clay mining, kiln emissions); I-30 corridor
Notes: Brick manufacturing creates clay mining environmental considerations (land reclamation) and kiln air emissions (energy-intensive high-temperature firing); ADEQ monitors brick plant emissions; Lake Catherine water quality monitoring by Army Corps; Ouachita River watershed management important for downstream water quality
About Hot Spring County
Hot Spring County is central Arkansas’s brick capital and Ouachita foothills county – Malvern’s clay deposits produced more bricks than anywhere else in the United States, and the county’s position between Little Rock and Hot Springs creates both commuter growth and recreation access.
Malvern (the county seat, population ~10,000) grew from its clay deposits into one of America’s most significant brick-producing communities. The Benton Brick Company and other manufacturers drew on Hot Spring County’s exceptional clay, producing bricks that built cities across the South.
Lake Catherine State Park on the Ouachita River provides boating, swimming, and camping in the scenic Ouachita foothills.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Local DHS office: Malvern (confirm via dhs.arkansas.gov)
Recommended
Search Hot Spring County public records for Malvern, Bismarck, and Hot Spring County residents.
Courts & Legal
Hot Spring County Circuit Clerk at 210 Locust Street, Malvern, AR 72104, phone 501-332-2281, handles probate.
Senior Services
Area Agency on Aging: Area Agency on Aging of West Central Arkansas — serves Hot Spring County
Meals on Wheels, transportation, senior centers
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
210 Locust St., Malvern, AR 72104
(501) 332-2261
CIRCUIT CLERK (Deeds, Court Records)
210 Locust St., Malvern, AR 72104
(501) 332-2261
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Hot Spring County Clerk, Probate Division (marriage licenses, will and estate case files – see Probate section above)
Local societies
Hot Spring County Historical Society, P.O. Box 674, Malvern, AR 72104
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 Hot Spring County, probate matters are handled by the County Clerk’s Office, while other Circuit Court matters go through the separate Circuit Clerk.
Hot Spring County Clerk – Probate Division 210 Locust Street, Malvern, AR 72104 (501) 332-2291 (Probate/County Clerk); (501) 332-2281 (Circuit Clerk, 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
305 S. Main St., Malvern, AR 72104
(501) 332-3611
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Unit
(501) 332-2183
DHS / SNAP / Medicaid
(800) 482-8988
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Hot Spring County Health Unit – (501) 332-5290
Services: Immunizations, WIC, family planning, STI testing, environmental health, vital records
Hospital: Baptist Health Medical Center – Malvern | (501) 332-1000
Notes: Baptist Health Malvern serves the county; Hot Springs hospitals 20 miles west via US-270; Little Rock hospitals accessible via I-30
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Malvern
Population: 34,000
Area: 622 sq mi
Established: 1829
Tier: 3
Public Records
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Search public records for Hot Spring County residents.
