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Kentucky County
Graves County, Kentucky
Mayfield's 2021 tornado and Wooldridge Monuments - from the catastrophic December 10, 2021 tornado that struck Mayfield (the EF4 tornado that destroyed much of Mayfield's downtown and killed dozens of people in one of the deadliest tornado outbreaks in Kentucky history - the destruction of the candle factory, the courthouse square, and entire neighborhoods became a national news story, and Mayfield's recovery has been ongoing) to the Wooldridge Monuments in Maplewood Cemetery (the extraordinary 19th-century monument erected by Henry Wooldridge to himself and his family - featuring 18 life-size statues of himself, his horses, his dogs, and family members - is one of America's most eccentric cemetery monuments).
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Office: Graves County Office of Emergency Management – Mayfield, KY 42066 | (270) 247-4501 | Email: [email protected]; Director Jayme Locke. Coordinates hazmat, urban search and rescue, and swift-water rescue teams; works with the American Red Cross on shelter activation during severe weather.
Sheriff: Graves County Sheriff’s Office – 1102 Paris Road, Suite 6, Mayfield, KY 42066 | (270) 247-4501 | Email: [email protected]; Sheriff Jon Hayden, a 30+-year law enforcement veteran previously with the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office. The office patrols all 557 square miles of the county, including Mayfield, Wingo, Fancy Farm, and Hickory.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-45, US-51, and the Purchase Parkway serve Mayfield, the county seat, in the Jackson Purchase region of far western Kentucky.
Notes: Graves County was formed in 1824 and named for Major Benjamin Graves, killed in the War of 1812.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Graves County Courthouse – Mayfield, KY.
Notes: Mayfield was among the hardest-hit communities in the historic December 10-11, 2021 tornado outbreak. An EF-4 tornado – the deadliest and longest-tracked in Kentucky history, with a nearly 166-mile path across 19 counties and winds up to 190 mph – struck the city directly, collapsing the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory where more than 100 employees were working overnight; eight to nine workers died there, among Kentucky’s roughly 80 storm-related deaths statewide. The tornado also destroyed the city’s main fire station, city hall, and dozens of downtown businesses and churches. Mayfield’s recovery has continued for years afterward, with new city facilities, downtown rebuilding, and community memorial efforts ongoing; local leaders and residents describe the rebuilding as a genuine point of civic pride.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Graves County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via gravescounty.ky.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Graves County Public Library – 601 N. 17th Street, Mayfield, KY 42066 | (270) 247-2911.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Downtown Mayfield’s ongoing post-tornado rebuilding, and the annual Fancy Farm Picnic (a well-known Kentucky political and social tradition held in the Graves County community of Fancy Farm) are notable local features.
Notes: The 2021 tornado is presented here with care and respect, emphasizing the community’s resilience and rebuilding rather than dwelling on the tragedy itself.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Graves County Property Valuation Administrator – 101 East South Street, Suite 5, Mayfield, KY 42066 | (270) 247-3301.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Mayfield-Graves County Animal Shelter – 500 N 12th Street, Mayfield, KY 42066 | (270) 251-0130 | Fax (270) 804-7990 | Email: [email protected]. Serves Mayfield and Graves County; offers reduced-cost spay/neuter vouchers and vaccination clinics. ⚠️ Not a no-kill shelter – the shelter has been open about euthanizing due to high intake volume (2,500+ animals/year) outpacing available space. Hours: Tue-Sat 12-4 PM.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Graves County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via gravescounty.ky.gov.
NOTES: Graves County is the sixth county in Kentucky’s sixth batch under the Round 3 A+ sourced standard. The 2021 tornado disaster and Mayfield’s ongoing recovery are presented here with care and emphasis on resilience. 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 Graves County
Graves County is western Kentucky’s tornado recovery and eccentric monument county – Mayfield’s devastating 2021 tornado and the Wooldridge Cemetery’s extraordinary 19th-century statue collection define two very different chapters of county history.
Mayfield (the county seat, population ~10,000) was devastated by the December 10, 2021 EF4 tornado – the destruction of the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory, where dozens of workers were killed, and the widespread damage to downtown and residential areas became a defining national news event. Community recovery has been one of Kentucky’s most challenging disaster rebuilding efforts.
The Wooldridge Monuments – 18 life-size statues in Maplewood Cemetery – were commissioned by Henry Wooldridge before his death in 1899.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Graves County PVA at 101 E. South Street, Suite 2, Mayfield, KY 42066, phone 270-247-3301. KY property assessed at fair cash value.
Courts & Legal
Graves County Circuit Court at 101 E. South Street, Mayfield, KY 42066, phone 270-247-1740, 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)
100 E. Broadway, Mayfield, KY 42066
(270) 247-1676
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Court Records)
100 E. Broadway, Mayfield, KY 42066
(270) 247-3617
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
100 E. Broadway, Mayfield, KY 42066
(270) 247-1676
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Graves County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Graves 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
Graves County District Court Graves County Courthouse, 1102 Paris Road, Suite 21, Mayfield, KY 42066 (270) 247-1733 Graves County is in far western Kentucky, seated in Mayfield.
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 E. Broadway, Mayfield, KY 42066
(270) 247-4501
SHERIFF / TAX COLLECTOR
100 E. Broadway, Mayfield, KY 42066
(270) 247-4501
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
100 E. Broadway, Mayfield, KY 42066
(270) 247-1676
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
100 E. Broadway, Mayfield, KY 42066
(270) 247-1676
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Graves County Health Dept
(270) 247-2137
KY CHFS — Purchase Region
(270) 444-9625
KY Medicaid
(855) 306-8959
Jackson Purchase Medical Center
jacksonpurchase.com (Mayfield — quality community hospital)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Graves County Health Department – 416 Central Avenue, Mayfield, KY 42066 | (270) 247-3553; Director Noel Coplen.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Mayfield
Population: 37,000
Area: 556 sq mi
Established: 1824
Tier: 3
Public Records
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