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Kentucky · Western Kentucky · #704
Christian County, Kentucky
In the pennyroyal region of western Kentucky, Christian County's Hopkinsville shares Fort Campbell - home of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), the Army's iconic "Screaming Eagles" - with Montgomery County, Tennessee, making this small Kentucky city one of the most military-shaped communities in the American heartland.
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Office: Christian County Emergency Management – 521 Weber Street (also listed 216 W. 7th St, Suite B), Hopkinsville, KY 42240 | (270) 887-6253 | Fax (270) 707-2333; Director Randy Graham, in the role since early 2010.
Sheriff: Christian County Sheriff’s Office – 701 West 7th Street, Hopkinsville, KY 42240 | (270) 887-4141 or (270) 887-4143 | Fax (270) 887-4032 | Email: [email protected]; Sheriff Tyler DeArmond, in office since January 2019, a 14-year Hopkinsville Police Department veteran before running for sheriff. Jurisdiction covers 724 square miles including Crofton, Fairview, Gracey, Lafayette, Oak Grove, and Pembroke.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911. Non-emergency dispatch: (270) 890-1300.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-41, US-68, and the Pennyrile Parkway serve Hopkinsville, the county seat, in southwestern Kentucky near the Tennessee border and Fort Campbell.
Notes: Christian County, established in 1797, is named for Colonel William Christian, a Revolutionary War officer.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Christian County Courthouse – Hopkinsville, KY.
Notes: Christian County is home to one of the most famous and thoroughly documented UFO encounter cases in American history: the Kelly-Hopkinsville Encounter of August 21-22, 1955. Members of the Sutton and Taylor families reported a night-long standoff with small, silvery humanoid creatures at a rural farmhouse near Kelly, exchanging gunfire with the beings for hours before fleeing to the Hopkinsville police station for help. Local police, Christian County sheriff’s deputies, Kentucky State Police, and military police from nearby Fort Campbell all responded and investigated; while no definitive explanation was ever established, investigators found no evidence of a hoax, and the case remains a frequently studied example in ufology due to its unusually large number of credible-seeming witnesses. The incident is popularly known as the “Hopkinsville Goblins” case.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Christian County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via christiancountyky.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Christian County Public Library (Hopkinsville) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Pennyroyal Area Museum (which houses exhibits on the Kelly-Hopkinsville encounter) and the county’s proximity to Fort Campbell are notable local features.
Notes: The genuine, well-documented Kelly-Hopkinsville Encounter is one of the most nationally famous UFO cases covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Christian County Property Valuation Administrator (PVA) – confirm current contact via christiancountyky.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Christian County Animal Shelter – 2935 Russellville Road (Hwy 68 East), Hopkinsville, KY 42240 (mailing: 216 W. 7th St, Suite A) | (270) 887-4175 | Email: [email protected]. Accepts animals from Christian, Todd, and Trigg counties only; drop-offs by appointment. Hours: Tue-Sat 10:30 AM-4 PM (closed 12:30-1 PM for lunch), closed Sun-Mon.
Christian County Humane Society – 1229 Skyline Drive, Hopkinsville, KY 42240 | (270) 887-4678; a separate, all-volunteer 30+ year nonprofit taking in sick/injured animals, distinct from the county shelter; adoption fee $70.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Christian County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via christiancountyky.gov.
NOTES: Christian County is the second county in Kentucky’s fourth batch under the Round 3 A+ sourced standard. The genuine, well-documented Kelly-Hopkinsville Encounter is one of the most nationally famous UFO cases covered anywhere 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 Christian County
Christian County’s Fort Campbell is the home of the 101st Airborne Division – one of the most storied divisions in American military history, whose World War II actions at Bastogne (“Nuts!”), Normandy, and across Europe are commemorated at the Don F. Pratt Museum on post. The installation’s 105,000 acres span the Kentucky-Tennessee state line, though most of the installation and the city of Clarksville (Montgomery County, TN) are across the line. Hopkinsville serves the Kentucky side of the installation’s residential population.
Hopkinsville’s agricultural heritage – dark-fired tobacco, corn, and soybeans in the western Kentucky pennyroyal region – coexists with the military economy. Hopkinsville is also the birthplace of Edgar Cayce, the “Sleeping Prophet” whose psychic readings and spiritual philosophy have made him one of the most documented psychics in American history and whose Edgar Cayce Foundation in Virginia Beach draws visitors who trace the lineage to western Kentucky. Jennie Stuart Medical Center provides regional healthcare.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Kentucky assesses property at 100% of fair cash value. Property owners may appeal to the Board of Assessment Appeals by May 20. Kentucky offers property tax relief for low-income seniors. Kentucky has no estate or inheritance tax.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
Christian County District Court (Probate): 511 South Main Street, Hopkinsville, KY 42241 | (270) 889-4500. The District Court handles estate administration and guardianship. Christian County Clerk records all property instruments. For Fort Campbell military families, SBP elections and SGLI/TSP beneficiary designations pass outside the will.
Senior Services
Pennyrile Allied Community Services – Area Agency on Aging
P.O. Box 1067, Hopkinsville, KY 42241
Phone: (270) 886-9484
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
100 Justice Way, Hopkinsville, KY 42240
(270) 887-4105
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Court Records)
100 Justice Way, Hopkinsville, KY 42240
(270) 889-0556
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
100 Justice Way, Hopkinsville, KY 42240
(270) 887-4105
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Christian County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
The Hopkinsville Commercial Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a significant local landmark.
Local societies
No dedicated Christian 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
Christian County District Court Christian County Justice Center, 100 Justice Way, Hopkinsville, KY 42240 (270) 889-6539
Christian County was founded 1797, named for Colonel William Christian. Its seat, Hopkinsville, is also its largest city, named after Samuel Hopkins.
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
100 Justice Way, Hopkinsville, KY 42240
(270) 887-4143
SHERIFF / TAX COLLECTOR
100 Justice Way, Hopkinsville, KY 42240
(270) 887-4143
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
100 Justice Way, Hopkinsville, KY 42240
(270) 887-4105
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
100 Justice Way, Hopkinsville, KY 42240
(270) 887-4105
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Office: Christian County Health Department – confirm current contact via chfs.ky.gov local health department directory.
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Editorial Trust
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Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Hopkinsville
Population: 74,000
Area: 722 sq mi
Established: 1797
Tier: 3
Public Records
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