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Arkansas County
Pike County County Government Offices
County SeatMurfreesboro
Population11,000
Founded1833
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Office: Pike County Office of Emergency Management
Address: 110 Washington St NW, Murfreesboro, AR 71958
Phone: (870) 285-2231
Alert System: AR Alert; CodeRed; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Contact county OEM; Murfreesboro community facilities
FEMA Region: Region 6
Notes: Southwest Arkansas Ouachita Mountain county; Murfreesboro is county seat; Little Missouri River (flooding); tornado corridor; Crater of Diamonds State Park (the world’s only diamond mine open to the public – major tourism draw); Ouachita National Forest covers much of the county; very rural
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Road Dept: Pike County Road Department – (870) 285-2231
Public Transit: None; completely auto-dependent; remote rural county
Road Conditions: ARDOT – idrivearkansas.com
Notes: US-278 and AR-24 are main corridors; Murfreesboro is small county seat; Crater of Diamonds drives significant tourism traffic; Ouachita National Forest roads; very rural mountain county; Mena (Polk County) and Hope (Hempstead County) are nearest significant centers
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Pike County – (870) 285-2231
Services: Very basic building permits; Murfreesboro and Delight separate
Notes: Very limited development; Crater of Diamonds tourism drives some hospitality development; Ouachita National Forest borders; very rural
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Pike County Veterans Service Office – (870) 285-2231
VA Medical: Central Arkansas VA (Little Rock); Shreveport VA (accessible via US-278)
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare enrollment
Notes: Remote county; VA access requires significant travel; telehealth critical
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Pike County Library – (870) 285-3734
Address: Murfreesboro area
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, children’s programs; diamond/Crater heritage materials
Notes: Small library; Crater of Diamonds and diamond hunting lore reflected in collections; important community resource
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Crater of Diamonds State Park – arkansasstateparks.com | (870) 285-3113 (THE ONLY PLACE IN THE WORLD where the public can search for diamonds and keep what they find; 37.5-acre diamond-bearing lamproite pipe; visitors find diamonds regularly including the largest diamonds ever found by members of the public in North America; Uncle Sam Diamond 40.23 carats; Strawn-Wagner Diamond 3.03 carats – rated perfect by GIA; extraordinary attraction); Little Missouri River (canoeing and fishing); Daisy State Park; Lake Greeson (Little Missouri River reservoir; Army Corps); Crater of Diamonds Resort; Ouachita National Forest access
Notes: Crater of Diamonds State Park is one of the most unique attractions in the United States and the world – the only public diamond mine on earth; visitors literally dig in the plowed fields of an ancient volcanic crater and keep any diamonds or other gems they find; thousands of diamonds have been found by park visitors over the decades including some truly spectacular stones; the park draws visitors from all 50 states and internationally; the largest diamond found in North America by a member of the public (40.23-carat Uncle Sam) was found here; it is unquestionably Pike County’s defining asset and one of Arkansas’s finest state parks
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Very limited; Arkansas GIS – gis.arkansas.gov
Notes: Rural county; state GIS primary; Crater of Diamonds geological mapping through USGS (lamproite pipe); Army Corps Lake Greeson mapping; Ouachita National Forest USFS mapping
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Pike County Animal Control – (870) 285-2231
Services: Very basic animal control
Notes: Very limited resources; Crater tourists sometimes bring pets; remote county
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Pike County – (870) 285-2231
Environmental: Arkansas DEQ; Ouachita National Forest (USFS); Little Missouri River watershed; Lake Greeson (Army Corps); Crater of Diamonds geological area management (Arkansas State Parks)
Notes: The Crater of Diamonds geological area (a lamproite volcanic pipe – one of only a few in the world that reach the surface) is both a state park and a unique geological feature; the state park manages the diamond field under sustainable diamond-mining principles; Little Missouri River water quality important for Lake Greeson recreation; Ouachita National Forest watershed management; very limited industrial environmental concerns beyond tourism
About Pike County County
Pike County is Arkansas’s Crater of Diamonds county – the only public diamond mine in the world where visitors keep what they find and where the 40.23-carat Uncle Sam Diamond was discovered define a county whose volcanic geology and Ouachita Mountain character give it a global geological distinction.
Murfreesboro (the county seat, population ~1,600) is Pike County’s governmental hub on AR-27, a southwest Arkansas Ouachita Mountain community whose Crater of Diamonds park, Little Missouri River, and mineral heritage anchor its identity as one of Arkansas’s most geologically remarkable communities.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Local DHS office: Murfreesboro or Glenwood (confirm via dhs.arkansas.gov)
Recommended
Search Pike County public records for Murfreesboro and Pike County residents.
Courts & Legal
Pike County Circuit Court at 115 W. 2nd Street, Murfreesboro, AR 71958, phone 870-285-2231, handles probate.
Senior Services
Area Agency on Aging: Southwest Arkansas Planning and Development District (SWAPDD) — Area Agency on Aging
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 Washington St., Murfreesboro, AR 71958
(870) 285-2141
CIRCUIT CLERK (Deeds, Court Records)
210 Washington St., Murfreesboro, AR 71958
(870) 285-2141
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Pike County Clerk, Probate Division (marriage licenses, will and estate case files – see Probate section above)
Local societies
Pike County Archives & History Society, 112 Washington, Suite B, Murfreesboro, AR 71958 (mailing: P.O. Box 875), (870) 285-9157, [email protected]
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 Pike County, probate matters are handled by the County Clerk’s Office, while other Circuit Court matters go through the separate Circuit Clerk.
Pike County Clerk – Probate Division 1 Courthouse Square, Murfreesboro, AR 71958 (870) 285-2743 (Probate/County Clerk); (870) 285-2231 (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
Murfreesboro, AR 71958
(870) 285-2161
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Unit
(870) 285-2381
DHS / SNAP / Medicaid
(800) 482-8988
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Pike County Health Unit – (870) 285-2231
Services: Immunizations, WIC, family planning, STI testing, environmental health, vital records
Hospital: Pike County Regional Medical Center (Murfreesboro) – (870) 285-3131; small critical access hospital
Notes: Very small hospital; Diamond tourist visitors create seasonal healthcare demand; very limited local specialty care; rural health challenges
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Murfreesboro
Population: 11,000
Area: 601 sq mi
Established: 1833
Public Records
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