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.
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.
What do you need to do?
Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Office: Cumberland County Emergency Management – 299 Glasgow Road, Burkesville, KY 42717 | (270) 864-4141 or (270) 406-2923 | Email: [email protected]. Houses the county’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and 24/7 E-911 Public Safety Answering Point behind Cumberland County Hospital; the EOC can operate independently of local utilities via satellite phone/internet and diesel generator power.
Roads: KY-90 and KY-61 serve Burkesville, the county seat and only incorporated city, on the Cumberland River in south-central Kentucky. Burkesville is the first town downstream of Wolf Creek Dam and is generally considered flood-proof, though the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed major dam-leak repairs there in 2013.
Notes: Cumberland County, established in 1798, is named for the Cumberland River. Burkesville was originally called Cumberland Crossing before being incorporated in 1846 and renamed for local leader Isham Burk.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Cumberland County Courthouse – Burkesville, KY (the original was burned during a Confederate raid led by General Hylan B. Lyon on January 3, 1865).
Notes: Cumberland County holds two genuinely remarkable national “firsts.” In March 1829, a well drilled near Burkesville while prospecting for salt brine instead struck pressurized oil – the “Great American Oil Well” – widely regarded as the first commercial oil well in the United States (though it’s often overlooked in that ranking since the drillers weren’t originally seeking oil). The gusher’s oil flowed into the Cumberland River, drifted some 40 miles downstream, and famously caught fire, burning for three weeks and halting river traffic; the well ultimately produced an estimated 50,000 barrels, mostly sold as lamp oil and patent medicine. Separately, Cumberland County was the first county in the United States to elect a female sheriff, Pearl Carter Pace, a genuine milestone in American law enforcement history.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Cumberland County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via cumberlandcounty.ky.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Cumberland County Public Library – 114 Hill Street, Burkesville, KY 42717 | (270) 864-2207.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Cumberland River and the historic site of the “Great American Oil Well” are the county’s most distinctive heritage features.
Notes: The genuine “first U.S. commercial oil well” and “first elected female sheriff” facts are among the most nationally significant historical firsts covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Cumberland County Property Valuation Administrator (PVA) – confirm current contact via cumberlandcounty.ky.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Tri-County Animal Shelter – 1990 KY-90 West, Albany, KY 42602 | (606) 387-0943; serves Cumberland, Clinton, and Wayne counties jointly. Hours: Mon-Fri 10 AM-3 PM.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Cumberland County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via cumberlandcounty.ky.gov.
NOTES: Cumberland County is the seventh and final county in Kentucky’s fourth batch under the Round 3 A+ sourced standard. The genuine “first U.S. commercial oil well” and “first elected female sheriff” facts are among the most nationally significant historical firsts 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 Cumberland County County
Cumberland County is south-central Kentucky’s Cumberland River and Dale Hollow smallmouth county – the river corridor above Lake Cumberland and the world-record smallmouth bass fishery of Dale Hollow Lake define a small rural county where Burkesville serves the surrounding farming communities near the Tennessee border.
Burkesville (the county seat, population ~1,700) is Cumberland County’s governmental hub on the Cumberland River, a small south-central Kentucky community whose Dale Hollow Lake access, Cumberland River fishing, and agricultural service role anchor its quiet community identity near the Tennessee border.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Cumberland County Property Valuation Administrator at 204 E. Main Street, Burkesville, KY 42717, phone 270-864-2444. KY assessed at 100% fair cash value.
Courts & Legal
Cumberland County Circuit Court at 204 E. Main Street, Burkesville, KY 42717, phone 270-864-3726, 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)
1 Courthouse Square, Burkesville, KY 42717
(270) 864-3726
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Court Records)
1 Courthouse Square, Burkesville, KY 42717
(270) 864-3444
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
1 Courthouse Square, Burkesville, KY 42717
(270) 864-3726
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Cumberland County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Cumberland 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
Cumberland County District Court 112 Courthouse Square, Burkesville, KY 42717 (270) 864-2611
Cumberland County is in south-central Kentucky on the Tennessee border, seated in Burkesville along the Cumberland River.
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
1 Courthouse Square, Burkesville, KY 42717
(270) 864-2611
SHERIFF / TAX COLLECTOR
1 Courthouse Square, Burkesville, KY 42717
(270) 864-2611
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
1 Courthouse Square, Burkesville, KY 42717
(270) 864-3726
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
1 Courthouse Square, Burkesville, KY 42717
(270) 864-3726
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Office: Cumberland County Health Department – confirm current contact via chfs.ky.gov local health department directory.
Editorial independence: CountyOffices maintains strict editorial independence from our affiliate partners. Our content is researched from official government sources. Affiliate relationships do not influence our recommendations or the information we publish.
Editorial Trust
5 official sources cited
Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Burkesville
Population: 6,700
Area: 306 sq mi
Established: 1798
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Cumberland County County residents.
