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Kentucky County
Hopkins County, Kentucky
Madisonville's coal heritage and western Kentucky agribusiness - from Hopkins County's significant bituminous coal production (Hopkins County was one of western Kentucky's most productive coal counties - the thick seams of the Western Kentucky Coal Field supported surface and underground mining that employed thousands for over a century, shaping a working-class community culture of union solidarity) to Madisonville's emergence as a regional agricultural and healthcare hub and the Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park's recreation.
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Office: Hopkins County Emergency Management Agency – 130 N Franklin Street, Madisonville, KY 42431 | (270) 821-5717; Director Nick Bailey. Hours: Mon-Fri 8 AM-4 PM.
Roads: I-69 and the Pennyrile Parkway serve Madisonville, the county seat, in western Kentucky’s Western Coal Fields region.
Notes: Hopkins County, formed December 9, 1806, is named for General Samuel Hopkins, a Revolutionary War and War of 1812 officer. Madisonville, founded 1807, is named for James Madison.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Hopkins County Courthouse – Madisonville, KY.
Notes: Hopkins County has a genuine coal-mining heritage stretching back to 1869, when the first commercial mine opened near Earlington following the 1837 discovery of a coal outcropping by local blacksmith James Woolfolk. The arrival of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad through Madisonville in 1870 transformed the county into a major coal-mining and railroad hub, and by 1970 Hopkins County ranked as the second-largest coal producer in Kentucky’s Western Coal Field. The Hopkins County Historical Society museum, housed in the county’s former first library building, preserves coal-industry artifacts and offers tours of the birthplace cabin of Kentucky’s 43rd governor, Ruby Laffoon, a Hopkins County native.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Hopkins County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via hopkinscounty.ky.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Hopkins County Public Library (Madisonville) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Hopkins County Historical Society Museum and Governor Ruby Laffoon’s birthplace cabin are the county’s notable heritage attractions; Madisonville hosts an annual “James Madison Days” heritage festival.
Notes: The genuine 19th-century coal-mining heritage is one of the most significant western Kentucky industrial-history facts covered in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Hopkins County Property Valuation Administrator – confirm current contact via hopkinscounty.ky.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Hopkins County Humane Society – 2210 Laffoon Trail (intake at 319 Dulin Street), Madisonville, KY 42431 | (270) 821-8965 or (270) 245-2095 | Email: [email protected]. A nonprofit founded 1966, operating from a $500,000+ facility built in 2013 using a grant and coal severance funds. All animal intakes must be scheduled in advance. Hours: Mon, Fri, Sat 9 AM-5 PM, other days by appointment.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Hopkins County Convenience Centers – confirm current contact via hopkinscounty.ky.gov.
NOTES: Hopkins County is the fourth county in Kentucky’s eighth batch under the Round 3 A+ sourced standard. The genuine 19th-century coal-mining heritage is one of the most significant western Kentucky industrial-history 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 Hopkins County
Hopkins County is western Kentucky’s coal heritage and regional hub county – decades of bituminous coal production shaped the county’s working-class identity, and Madisonville now serves as the commercial and healthcare center for a broad western Kentucky region.
Madisonville (the county seat, population ~19,000) has transitioned from coal dependence toward a more diversified economy – healthcare, agriculture, and light manufacturing provide employment as traditional coal jobs have declined. The community’s regional hospital and retail serve Hopkins and surrounding counties.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Hopkins County PVA at 25 E. Center Street, Suite 112, Madisonville, KY 42431, phone 270-821-3092. KY property assessed at fair cash value.
Courts & Legal
Hopkins County Circuit Court at 25 E. Center Street, Madisonville, KY 42431, phone 270-825-6300, 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)
30 Seminary Square, Madisonville, KY 42431
(270) 821-7361
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Court Records)
30 Seminary Square, Madisonville, KY 42431
(270) 824-7516
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
30 Seminary Square, Madisonville, KY 42431
(270) 821-7361
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Hopkins County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
The Madisonville Commercial Historic District, including the Hopkins County Courthouse and Confederate Monument, is a significant local historical resource.
Local societies
No dedicated Hopkins 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
Hopkins County District Court Hopkins County Justice Center, 120 East Center Street, Madisonville, KY 42431
Hopkins County was founded 1806, named for General Samuel Hopkins. Its seat, Madisonville (nicknamed “Best Town on Earth”), is also its largest city, located in the state’s Western Coal Fields region.
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
30 Seminary Square, Madisonville, KY 42431
(270) 821-5661
SHERIFF / TAX COLLECTOR
30 Seminary Square, Madisonville, KY 42431
(270) 821-5661
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
30 Seminary Square, Madisonville, KY 42431
(270) 821-7361
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
30 Seminary Square, Madisonville, KY 42431
(270) 821-7361
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Office: Hopkins County Health Department – confirm current contact via chfs.ky.gov local health department directory.
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Editorial Trust
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Madisonville
Population: 46,000
Area: 550 sq mi
Established: 1806
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Hopkins County residents.
