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Arkansas County
Van Buren County, Arkansas
Greers Ferry Lake's western shore and the Ozark foothills - from Greers Ferry Lake's Van Buren County access (the 31,000-acre reservoir's western shore and the Little Red River headwaters provide boating, fishing, and camping in scenic Ozark foothills terrain) to the county's position in Arkansas's Ozark highland transition zone and Clinton's role as the commercial hub for north-central Arkansas's forested communities.
County SeatClinton
Population15,796
Founded1833
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Office: Van Buren County Office of Emergency Management
Address: 1 Court Square, Clinton, AR 72031
Phone: (501) 745-4440
Alert System: AR Alert; CodeRed; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Contact county OEM; Clinton community facilities
FEMA Region: Region 6
Notes: North-central Arkansas Ozark county; Clinton is county seat; Greers Ferry Lake borders the east (shared with Cleburne County); Little Red River headwaters; tornado corridor; flash flooding in Ozark terrain; Ozark mountains; moderate rural growth
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Road Dept: Van Buren County Road Department – (501) 745-4440
Public Transit: Very limited; demand-response; rural Ozark county
Road Conditions: ARDOT – idrivearkansas.com
Notes: US-65 runs north-south through Clinton; AR-110 east-west; Clinton is 60 miles north of Conway on US-65; Ozark terrain; Greers Ferry Lake drives tourism traffic; Arkansas Tech University (Russellville) accessible via AR-154/US-65
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Van Buren County – (501) 745-4440
Services: Building permits; Clinton and Shirley separate
Notes: Greers Ferry Lake waterfront development on county boundaries; retirement community growth; rural residential development; Ozark cabin and rural property construction; modest growth
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Van Buren County Veterans Service Office – (501) 745-4440
VA Medical: Central Arkansas VA (Little Rock) – 60 miles south on US-65
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare enrollment
Notes: Little Rock VA accessible via US-65; retirement community includes veteran population
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Van Buren County Library – (501) 745-2100
Address: Clinton area; Shirley Branch
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, children’s programs
Notes: Small two-branch library system; retirement community supports library programs; Ozark heritage materials
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Greers Ferry Lake (eastern border – 40,000 acres; some of Arkansas’s finest water recreation; premier bass fishing; water skiing; boating; camping; Van Buren County has lake access at multiple points); Little Red River (headwaters – pristine Ozark streams); Ozark National Forest access; Sugarloaf Mountain (on Greers Ferry Lake – impressive mountain rising from the lake); Petit Jean Mountain accessible from south; Clinton WPA mural (historic courthouse art); Ozark cultural landscape
Notes: Greers Ferry Lake’s Van Buren County shoreline offers some of the best lakefront access in north-central Arkansas; Sugarloaf Mountain rises dramatically from the lake providing a distinctive visual landmark and excellent hiking; the Little Red River headwaters in Van Buren County flow toward Greers Ferry Lake before emerging below the dam as the famous trout fishery; the county’s Ozark setting is beautiful; Clinton’s historic courthouse contains WPA murals
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Van Buren County GIS; Arkansas GIS – gis.arkansas.gov
Notes: County GIS; Army Corps Greers Ferry Lake mapping; Little Red River watershed mapping
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Van Buren County Animal Control – (501) 745-4440
Services: Basic animal control
Notes: Retirement community supports some humane programs; limited formal shelter resources
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Van Buren County – (501) 745-4440; Clinton city sanitation
Environmental: Arkansas DEQ; Army Corps (Greers Ferry Lake – eastern boundary); Little Red River watershed; Ozark National Forest
Notes: Greers Ferry Lake water quality is critical for recreation and the downstream trout fishery; Army Corps monitors water quality; Little Red River headwaters protection is important for maintaining the water quality that makes the lake clear and the trout stream pristine; Ozark National Forest management provides watershed protection; rural residential development creates some stormwater management challenges
About Van Buren County
Van Buren County is north-central Arkansas’s Greers Ferry Lake western gateway and Ozark foothills county – a forested community whose lake access and scenic terrain attract both recreation visitors and rural lifestyle seekers.
Clinton (the county seat, population ~2,500) is the commercial hub for Van Buren County’s forested communities – healthcare, retail, and services serve the surrounding rural population. The county’s position between the Arkansas River Valley and the upper Ozarks creates diverse recreational and scenic opportunities.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Local DHS office: Clinton (confirm via dhs.arkansas.gov)
Recommended
Search Van Buren County public records for Clinton, Damascus, and Van Buren County residents.
Courts & Legal
Van Buren County Circuit Clerk at 2 Courthouse Square, Clinton, AR 72031, phone 501-745-2492, handles probate.
Senior Services
Area Agency on Aging: Area Agency on Aging of West Central Arkansas — serves Van Buren 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
1 Courthouse Sq., Clinton, AR 72031
(501) 745-2391
CIRCUIT CLERK (Deeds, Court Records)
1 Courthouse Sq., Clinton, AR 72031
(501) 745-2391
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Van Buren County Circuit Clerk (marriage licenses, will and estate case files – see Probate section above)
Local societies
Van Buren County Historical Society & Museum, 211 3rd Street, Clinton, AR 72031
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
Van Buren County Circuit Clerk – Probate Division 273 Main Street, Suite 2, Clinton, AR 72031 (501) 745-4140 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
Clinton, AR 72031
(501) 745-2112
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Unit
(501) 745-4171
DHS / SNAP / Medicaid
(800) 482-8988
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Van Buren County Health Unit – (501) 745-2466
Services: Immunizations, WIC, family planning, STI testing, environmental health, vital records
Hospital: Clinton Medical Center – (501) 745-7000; small critical access hospital; Conway hospitals accessible via US-65
Notes: Small hospital; Conway (Faulkner County) hospitals accessible via US-65 in about 1 hour; rural Ozark health dynamics; retirement community creates elevated healthcare demand
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Clinton
Population: 15,796
Area: 722 sq mi
Established: 1833
Tier: 3
Public Records
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Search public records for Van Buren County residents.
