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Kentucky County
Greenup County, Kentucky
Jesse Stuart's W-Hollow and Appalachian literary heritage - from Jesse Stuart's W-Hollow (the Greenup County farm hollow where Jesse Stuart - one of Appalachian literature's most prolific and celebrated writers - was born, raised, and spent most of his life, writing over 40 books, 460 short stories, and 2,000 poems celebrating the people and landscapes of northeastern Kentucky) to the AK Steel Ashland Works' Greenup County industrial heritage and Greenbo Lake State Resort Park's recreation.
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Office: Greenup County Public Safety / E-911 Center – 1819 Ashland Road, Greenup, KY 41144 | Non-emergency (606) 473-1411 or dial 311 from a landline.
Sheriff: Greenup County Sheriff’s Office – P.O. Box 318, Greenup, KY 41144 | (606) 473-9833 or (606) 473-7037. Serves 350+ square miles and over 37,000 residents; deputies respond to 400+ calls monthly and handle over 93% of out-of-city calls for service.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-23 and KY-1 serve Greenup, the county seat, along the Ohio River in northeastern Kentucky (part of the Huntington-Ashland metro area).
Notes: Greenup County, organized December 12, 1803 from part of Mason County, is named for Christopher Greenup, an early Kentucky governor.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Greenup County Courthouse – Greenup, KY.
Notes: Greenup County was genuinely the lifelong home of Jesse Stuart (1906-1984), one of Appalachia’s most celebrated writers and Kentucky’s Poet Laureate (named in 1954). Born in the county’s W-Hollow to tenant farmers who could not read or write, Stuart went on to publish some 2,000 poems, 460 short stories, and more than 60 books drawing on his life in the region, while also helping modernize Kentucky’s rural school system. Greenbo Lake State Resort Park, just outside Greenup, features the 36-room Jesse Stuart Lodge, dedicated in his honor in 1971, and the adjoining 714-acre Jesse Stuart Nature Preserve – donated by Stuart himself in 1980 – preserves part of his family farm. A bust of Stuart still stands on the Greenup County Courthouse lawn.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Greenup County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via greenupcountyky.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Greenup County Public Library (Greenup) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Greenbo Lake State Resort Park (Jesse Stuart Lodge, 225-acre lake, hiking/mountain biking trails, campground) and the Jesse Stuart Nature Preserve are the county’s premier attractions.
Notes: The genuine Jesse Stuart literary legacy is one of the most significant Appalachian cultural facts covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Greenup County Property Valuation Administrator – confirm current contact via greenupcountyky.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Greenup County Animal Control/Shelter – 47 Dog Gone Lane, Greenup, KY 41144 | (606) 473-5711. Hours: Mon-Fri 9 AM-5 PM.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Greenup County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via greenupcountyky.gov.
NOTES: Greenup County is the second county in Kentucky’s seventh batch under the Round 3 A+ sourced standard. The genuine Jesse Stuart literary legacy is one of the most significant Appalachian cultural facts 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 Greenup County
Greenup County is northeastern Kentucky’s Jesse Stuart literary heritage county – the prolific Appalachian writer who produced over 40 books from his W-Hollow farm is one of the most significant literary figures in the history of Appalachian literature.
Jesse Stuart (1906-1984) – born in W-Hollow, Greenup County – wrote prolifically about the people, landscapes, and culture of northeastern Kentucky Appalachia. His novels, short stories, poems, and memoirs earned him comparisons to Robert Burns as a people’s poet. The Jesse Stuart Foundation preserves his legacy.
Greenup (the county seat, population ~1,100) and Flatwoods (population ~7,000) serve the county’s governmental and commercial needs.
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Greenup County PVA at 301 Main Street, Suite 1, Greenup, KY 41144, phone 606-473-5064. KY property assessed at fair cash value.
Courts & Legal
Greenup County Circuit Court at 301 Main Street, Greenup, KY 41144, phone 606-473-7394, 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)
301 Main St., Greenup, KY 41144
(606) 473-5350
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Court Records)
301 Main St., Greenup, KY 41144
(606) 473-7394
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
301 Main St., Greenup, KY 41144
(606) 473-5350
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Greenup County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Greenup 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
Greenup County District Court Courthouse Annex, 101 Harrison Street, Greenup, KY 41144 (606) 473-9869
Greenup County was founded 1803, named for Governor Christopher Greenup, along the Ohio River in northeastern Kentucky. Its largest city, Flatwoods, differs from its seat, Greenup.
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
301 Main St., Greenup, KY 41144
(606) 473-9833
SHERIFF / TAX COLLECTOR
301 Main St., Greenup, KY 41144
(606) 473-9833
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
301 Main St., Greenup, KY 41144
(606) 473-5350
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
301 Main St., Greenup, KY 41144
(606) 473-5350
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Office: Greenup County Health Department – (606) 473-9838.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Greenup
Population: 35,000
Area: 348 sq mi
Established: 1803
Tier: 3
Public Records
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