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Kentucky County
Allen County, Kentucky
Scottsville's Barren River and south-central Kentucky agricultural heritage - from Barren River Lake State Resort Park's Allen County access (the 10,000-acre Barren River Reservoir provides boating, fishing, and resort recreation in the rolling south-central Kentucky landscape) to Allen County's position as one of Kentucky's most agricultural counties - tobacco, beef cattle, and grain production on the rolling terrain between the Barren River and the Tennessee border.
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
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Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Office: Allen County Emergency Management – Scottsville, KY | (270) 618-0038 | Email: [email protected]. The county uses the CodeRed Rapid Emergency Storm Warning system for weather alerts; residents can sign up directly through the county website.
Sheriff: Allen County Sheriff’s Office – 194 W. Wood Street, Scottsville, KY 42164 | (270) 237-3210 | Fax (270) 237-3654; Sheriff Jeff Cooke, first elected in 2010 (his term began January 2011), a former Scottsville Police Department sergeant and Eastern Kentucky University graduate, previously a school resource officer.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911. Scottsville-Allen County 911 Communications Center dispatches for the Sheriff’s Office, Scottsville Police, Allen County Ambulance Service, and all fire departments countywide.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-31E and KY-100 serve Scottsville, the county seat, in south-central Kentucky near the Tennessee border.
Notes: Allen County, formed in 1815, is named for Colonel John Allen, a Kentucky militia officer killed at the Battle of Frenchtown (River Raisin) in the War of 1812. Scottsville itself was named for Kentucky’s 4th governor, Charles Scott, and was established in 1817.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Allen County Judicial Center / Courthouse – 200-201 W. Main St, Scottsville, KY | (270) 237-9582.
Notes: Scottsville is genuinely the birthplace of what became the Dollar General retail chain – J.L. Turner and his son Cal Turner Sr. opened their first department store there in 1945, expanding into more stores through the 1950s before formally founding Dollar General Corporation in 1968. The company has since grown to roughly 15,000-20,000 stores nationwide, making this small Kentucky county seat the origin point of one of America’s largest retail chains.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Allen County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via allencountykentucky.com.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Allen County Public Library (Scottsville) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Historic downtown Scottsville and the surrounding rolling farmland of south-central Kentucky are the county’s primary character; nearby Barren River Lake offers regional recreation.
Notes: The genuine Dollar General origin story is one of the most nationally significant corporate-history facts covered in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Allen County Property Valuation Administrator (PVA) – confirm current contact via allencountykentucky.com.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Allen County Animal Shelter (Allen Co-Scottsville Animal Shelter) – 51 Humane Lane, Scottsville, KY 42164 | (270) 618-7387 | Email: [email protected]; a public shelter with a spay/neuter/adopt mission. Hours: Mon 12-4 PM, Tue 10 AM-4 PM, Wed closed, Thu-Fri 10 AM-4 PM, Sat 10 AM-12 PM, closed Sunday – confirm current hours before visiting, as they vary by source.
Friends of Allen County Animal Shelter – 51 Humane Lane, Scottsville, KY | a separate nonprofit support organization for the shelter.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Allen County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via allencountykentucky.com.
NOTES: Allen County is the second county in Kentucky’s inaugural batch under the Round 3 A+ sourced standard. The genuine Dollar General origin story is one of the most nationally significant corporate-history facts covered in this project. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Allen County
Allen County is south-central Kentucky’s Barren River agricultural county – a tobacco and cattle farming community on the Tennessee border whose Barren River Lake access provides the primary recreation economy.
Scottsville (the county seat, population ~4,300) serves the county’s governmental and commercial needs in the rolling terrain south of Barren County. The agricultural economy of tobacco, beef cattle, and grain reflects the traditional farming culture of south-central Kentucky near the Tennessee border.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Allen County PVA at 201 W. Main Street, Suite 1, Scottsville, KY 42164, phone 270-237-3711. KY property assessed at fair cash value.
Courts & Legal
Allen County Circuit Court at 201 W. Main Street, Scottsville, KY 42164, phone 270-237-3706, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
201 W. Main St., Scottsville, KY 42164
(270) 237-3706
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Court Records)
201 W. Main St., Scottsville, KY 42164
(270) 237-3530
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
201 W. Main St., Scottsville, KY 42164
(270) 237-3706
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Allen County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Allen County genealogical 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
Allen County District Court Allen County Judicial Center, 200 West Main Street, Scottsville, KY 42164 Allen County is on the Tennessee border in south-central Kentucky, seated in Scottsville.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Kentucky has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code; probate is governed by KRS Chapter 395 (Administration of Estates), handled by the District Court in the county where the decedent resided (KRS 24A.120).
Dispensing with Administration – Kentucky’s simplified small-estate procedure, governed by KRS 395.450, 395.455, and 395.470. Available when the value of the personal estate, less liens and encumbrances, does not exceed $30,000, and the petitioner is a surviving spouse, adult child, or other qualifying heir/preferred creditor. The petitioner files a Petition to Dispense with Administration (Form AOC-830) with an affidavit listing assets, debts, and proposed distribution – no personal representative or full administration is required. Real estate is generally not covered by this procedure.
Regular (Full) Administration – for larger or more complex estates, the District Court appoints a personal representative (executor if named in a will, administrator if intestate), who gathers assets, pays debts, and distributes what remains under court oversight.
Step 2: filing for formal probate
File a Petition for Probate of Will and Appointment of Executor/Administrator (Form AOC-805) with the District Court in the county of residence.
If there’s a will, the court admits it to probate; it is then recorded with the county clerk (KRS 394.140).
The personal representative files an Inventory and Appraisement (Form AOC-841) of estate assets.
Notice to creditors is published; creditors generally have 6 months from appointment to file claims.
The personal representative pays valid debts, taxes, and expenses.
A Settlement of Estate (Form AOC-846) is filed, and the court closes the estate upon approval.
What it costs
Filing fees and publication costs are collected by the clerk and vary somewhat by county.
Kentucky does not require an attorney for probate, though it is commonly recommended, especially for formal administration.
Typical timelines: full probate generally takes 6-12 months; the creditor claims period is 6 months. Dispensing with Administration can move significantly faster once the estate qualifies.
Before distribution, a surviving spouse may petition for release of up to $2,500 from the estate as an exempt charge against estate property.
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
201 W. Main St., Scottsville, KY 42164
(270) 237-3232
SHERIFF / TAX COLLECTOR
201 W. Main St., Scottsville, KY 42164
(270) 237-3232
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
201 W. Main St., Scottsville, KY 42164
(270) 237-3706
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
201 W. Main St., Scottsville, KY 42164
(270) 237-3706
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Allen County Health Dept
(270) 237-3581
KY CHFS — Barren River Region
(270) 780-2340
KY Medicaid
(855) 306-8959
Medical Center at Scottsville
mcs.org (quality community hospital)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Allen County Health Department – confirm current contact via chfs.ky.gov local health department directory.
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