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Kentucky County
Boyd County, Kentucky
Ashland's steel heritage and the Tri-State confluence - from Ashland's AK Steel heritage (Ashland grew from the Ashland Iron and Mining Company's 1867 founding into one of the most significant steel-producing cities in Appalachian Kentucky - the steel industry shaped the city's working-class culture, union identity, and physical landscape for over a century) to Ashland's position at the confluence of the Big Sandy and Ohio rivers (the tri-state convergence of Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio at Ashland created a natural industrial hub whose river commerce and rail connections supported heavy industry) and Ashland's Jesse Stuart connection.
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Office: Ashland-Boyd County-Catlettsburg Emergency Management – 12327 Anthony Drive, Ashland, KY 41102 (P.O. Box 423, Catlettsburg, KY 41129) | (606) 393-1801 | Fax (606) 739-0025. A unified effort across the City of Ashland, City of Catlettsburg, and Boyd County; uses the Hyper-Reach public alert system. Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 AM-4 PM.
Sheriff: Boyd County Sheriff’s Office – 2900 Louisa Street, Catlettsburg, KY 41129 (P.O. Box 558) | (606) 739-5135 | Fax (606) 739-0594 | Email: [email protected]; Sheriff Bobby Jack Woods. ⚠️ A sheriff primary election is scheduled for 2026 – confirm the current officeholder directly, as this may change.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-23 and I-64 serve Catlettsburg, the county seat, at the confluence of the Ohio and Big Sandy rivers where Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia meet; Ashland is the county’s largest city.
Notes: Boyd County, formed in 1860 from parts of Greenup, Carter, and Lawrence counties, is named for Linn Boyd, a former U.S. congressman.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Boyd County Courthouse – Catlettsburg, KY, notable for a statue of John Milton Elliott on its grounds.
Notes: Ashland is home to the Paramount Arts Center, a 1,400-seat Art Deco theater built in 1931 and reopened as a nonprofit performing arts venue in 1972, on the National Register of Historic Places. It sits along U.S. 23, part of the “Country Music Highway” that produced artists including Loretta Lynn and Chris Stapleton. Most famously, country star Billy Ray Cyrus – from nearby Greenup, Kentucky – filmed his iconic 1992 “Achy Breaky Heart” music video there, launching him to worldwide fame; Naomi and Wynonna Judd, also from the Ashland area, likewise trace roots to the Paramount stage. The theater is also said to be haunted by a friendly ghost locals call “Paramount Joe.”
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Boyd County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via boydcountyky.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Boyd County Public Library (Ashland) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Paramount Arts Center is the county’s premier cultural landmark; the region’s location along the Country Music Highway (U.S. 23) is also a draw for music heritage tourism.
Notes: The genuine Achy Breaky Heart / Paramount Arts Center connection is one of the most recognizable pop-culture facts covered in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Boyd County Property Valuation Administrator (PVA) – confirm current contact via boydcountyky.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Boyd County Animal Control & Shelter – 1617 Fraley Lane, Ashland, KY 41102 (mailing: P.O. Box 423, Catlettsburg, KY 41129) | (606) 324-0745 | Fax (606) 324-1081 | Email: [email protected]. Hours: Tue-Fri 4-8 PM, Sat 12-4 PM, closed Sun-Mon.
City of Ashland Animal Control (within city limits) – (606) 385-3175; after-hours non-emergency (606) 329-2191.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Boyd County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via boydcountyky.gov.
NOTES: Boyd County is the third county in Kentucky’s second batch under the Round 3 A+ sourced standard. The genuine Achy Breaky Heart / Paramount Arts Center connection is one of the most recognizable pop-culture 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 Boyd County
Boyd County is northeastern Kentucky’s steel heritage and Tri-State confluence county – Ashland’s Armco Steel legacy and the Big Sandy-Ohio River junction where Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio meet define a community whose industrial past and Appalachian character anchor the Kentucky side of the Huntington-Ashland metropolitan area.
Catlettsburg (the county seat, population ~1,800) is Boyd County’s governmental hub at the Ohio-Big Sandy confluence, while Ashland (population ~20,000) serves as the county’s primary commercial and cultural center on the Ohio River.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Boyd County Property Valuation Administrator at 2800 Louisa Street, Catlettsburg, KY 41129, phone 606-739-5173. KY assessed at 100% fair cash value.
Courts & Legal
Boyd County Circuit Court at 2800 Louisa Street, Catlettsburg, KY 41129, phone 606-739-4131, 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)
2800 Louisa St., Catlettsburg, KY 41129
(606) 739-5116
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Court Records)
2800 Louisa St., Catlettsburg, KY 41129
(606) 739-4131
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
2800 Louisa St., Catlettsburg, KY 41129
(606) 739-5116
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Boyd County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Boyd 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
Boyd County District Court Boyd County Judicial Center, 2805 Louisa Street, P.O. Box 688, Catlettsburg, KY 41129 (606) 739-4131
Boyd County is in northeastern Kentucky on the Ohio River, seated in Catlettsburg, part of the Ashland metro area.
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
2800 Louisa St., Catlettsburg, KY 41129
(606) 739-4274
SHERIFF / TAX COLLECTOR
2800 Louisa St., Catlettsburg, KY 41129
(606) 739-4274
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
2800 Louisa St., Catlettsburg, KY 41129
(606) 739-5116
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
2800 Louisa St., Catlettsburg, KY 41129
(606) 739-5116
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Boyd County Health Dept
(606) 739-4138
KY CHFS — Northeastern Region
(606) 929-9090
KY Medicaid
(855) 306-8959
King's Daughters Medical Center
kdmc.com (Ashland — quality regional hospital; major Eastern KY medical center)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Boyd County Health Department – confirm current contact via chfs.ky.gov local health department directory.
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