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Kentucky County
Calloway County, Kentucky
Murray State University and Land Between the Lakes - from Murray State University (enrollment ~9,000, a regional comprehensive university whose Racer athletics, liberal arts programs, and regional economic impact make it the dominant institution in western Kentucky's academic landscape) to Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area (the 170,000-acre peninsula between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley - one of the largest inland recreation areas in the eastern United States, with 300 miles of undeveloped shoreline, elk and bison herds, and a dark sky preserve) and Kentucky Lake's western Kentucky resort corridor.
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Office: Calloway County Emergency Management – 201 South 4th Street, Murray, KY 42071 | (270) 752-3052 | Email: [email protected]; Director Josh Kerr.
Sheriff: Calloway County Sheriff’s Office – 701 Olive Street, Murray, KY 42071 | (270) 753-3151 | Fax (270) 759-1433 | Email: [email protected]; Sheriff Nicky J. Knight.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-641 and the Purchase Parkway serve Murray, the county seat, in far southwestern Kentucky near the Tennessee border and Kentucky Lake.
Notes: Calloway County, established November 3, 1822, is named for Colonel Richard Callaway, a co-founder of Boonesborough. The county remains “moist” – alcohol sales are prohibited outside city limits, though Murray itself permits sales.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Calloway County Courthouse – Town Square, Murray, KY (built 1913, Classical Revival, on the National Register of Historic Places – its bond authorization vote was notably marred by outright election fraud/falsified votes at the time).
Notes: Murray was genuinely named “Friendliest Small Town in America” in 2012 by Rand McNally and USA Today’s “Best of the Road” contest, after a two-person judging team toured the community and were the only visitors invited into residents’ homes during the entire competition. The distinction still anchors the city’s tourism identity today (“Feels Like Home”), and Murray has since collected other honors including Playful City USA and repeated recognition as a top place to live in Kentucky. Murray State University, home of the Racers (whose live thoroughbred horse mascot, Racer One, is a distinctive touch for a Kentucky school), anchors much of the town’s cultural and economic life.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Calloway County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via callowaycountyky.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Calloway County Public Library (Murray) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Kentucky Lake, Murray State University’s campus and Racers athletics, and downtown Murray’s Playhouse in the Park community theater are the county’s premier attractions.
Notes: The genuine “Friendliest Small Town in America” title is one of the most distinctive national-recognition facts covered in this project.
Murray-Calloway County Animal Shelter – 81 Shelter Ln, Murray, KY 42071 | (270) 759-4141 | Email: [email protected]. Hours: Mon-Fri 11 AM-4 PM, Sat 11 AM-3 PM, closed Sunday.
Humane Society of Calloway County – 607 Poplar Street, Suite A1, Murray, KY 42071 | (270) 759-1884 | Email: [email protected]; a 100% donation-funded nonprofit offering adoption support and dog training classes ($100-120 per course, discounted for shelter adopters).
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Calloway County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via callowaycountyky.gov.
NOTES: Calloway County is the fourth county in Kentucky’s third batch under the Round 3 A+ sourced standard. The genuine “Friendliest Small Town in America” title is one of the most distinctive national-recognition 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 Calloway County
Calloway County is western Kentucky’s university and Kentucky Lake county – Murray State’s regional educational anchor and the proximity to Kentucky Lake and Land Between the Lakes define a far-western Kentucky community that combines higher education, agriculture, and outdoor recreation in the Purchase Region near the Tennessee border.
Murray (the county seat, population ~18,500) is Calloway County’s governmental and university hub near the Tennessee border, a western Kentucky small city whose Murray State University campus, Kentucky Lake access, and agricultural service role anchor its identity in the Jackson Purchase region.
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Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Calloway County Property Valuation Administrator at 101 S. 5th Street, Murray, KY 42071, phone 270-753-3482. KY assessed at 100% fair cash value.
Courts & Legal
Calloway County Circuit Court at 312 N. 4th Street, Murray, KY 42071, phone 270-753-2714, 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)
101 S. 5th St., Murray, KY 42071
(270) 753-1959
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Court Records)
101 S. 5th St., Murray, KY 42071
(270) 753-2714
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
101 S. 5th St., Murray, KY 42071
(270) 753-1959
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Calloway County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Murray State University Pogue Library holds significant regional historical and genealogical materials.
Local societies
No dedicated Calloway County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories, though Murray State University’s Pogue Library serves as a strong regional resource.
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
Calloway County District Court 312 North 4th Street, Murray, KY 42071 (270) 753-2773 Calloway County is in far western Kentucky, seated in Murray, home to Murray State University.
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
101 S. 5th St., Murray, KY 42071
(270) 753-3151
SHERIFF / TAX COLLECTOR
101 S. 5th St., Murray, KY 42071
(270) 753-3151
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
101 S. 5th St., Murray, KY 42071
(270) 753-1959
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
101 S. 5th St., Murray, KY 42071
(270) 753-1959
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Calloway County Health Dept
(270) 753-3381
KY CHFS — Purchase Region
(270) 444-9625
KY Medicaid
(855) 306-8959
Murray-Calloway County Hospital
murrayhospital.org (quality regional hospital)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Calloway County Health Department – confirm current contact via chfs.ky.gov local health department directory.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Murray
Population: 39,000
Area: 386 sq mi
Established: 1822
Tier: 3
Public Records
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