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Kentucky County
LaRue County, Kentucky
Hodgenville - the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln - from the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park (the neoclassical Memorial Building housing the symbolic log cabin birthplace of Abraham Lincoln - born in a one-room log cabin at Sinking Spring Farm on February 12, 1809 - is one of the most visited presidential heritage sites in America, and the Lincoln Museum in Hodgenville documents the 16th President's Kentucky childhood years that shaped the man who saved the Union and ended slavery) and Knob Creek Farm where Lincoln spent his early childhood years.
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.
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Office: LaRue County Emergency Management – confirm current contact via laruecountyky.gov.
Sheriff: LaRue County Sheriff’s Office – 209 West High Street, Suite 6, Hodgenville, KY 42748 | (270) 358-3120 | Fax (270) 358-9285 | Email: [email protected]; Sheriff Brian Smith. Hours: Mon-Fri 8 AM-4 PM.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-31E and the Lincoln Parkway serve Hodgenville, the county seat, in central Kentucky near the Bluegrass region’s edge.
Notes: LaRue County was carved from part of Hardin County in 1843 and named for John P. LaRue, an early settler.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: LaRue County Courthouse – 209 W. High Street, Hodgenville, KY 42748. Hours: Mon-Fri 8 AM-4 PM (closed for lunch noon-1 PM), Sat 9 AM-12 PM (first Saturday of the month, non-CDL driver’s license issuance only).
Notes: LaRue County is genuinely the birthplace of President Abraham Lincoln, born February 12, 1809 on the Sinking Spring Farm south of Hodgenville – then part of Hardin County, now within LaRue County. The Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, established in 1916, preserves both the Sinking Spring birth site and the nearby Knob Creek Farm where the Lincoln family lived during Abraham’s early childhood; a symbolic log cabin is enshrined within a 1911 neoclassical Memorial Building at the site, which draws over 200,000 visitors annually. Hodgenville’s town square hosts an annual “Lincoln Days” celebration each October, featuring one of the largest gatherings of Lincoln look-alikes anywhere.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: LaRue County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via laruecountyky.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
LaRue County Public Library (Hodgenville) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, Hodgenville’s Creekfront Park, and the McDougal Lake hike-and-bike trail system are the county’s premier attractions.
Notes: The genuine Lincoln birthplace connection is one of the most significant American presidential-history facts covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: LaRue County Property Valuation Administrator – confirm current contact via laruecountyky.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
LaRue County Animal Control – contact Bro. Shannon McCubbins, (270) 723-0291; also listed LaRue County Dog Warden, (270) 358-8804. Governed by county Animal Control and Kennel ordinances.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: LaRue County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via laruecountyky.gov.
NOTES: LaRue County is the fifth county in Kentucky’s ninth batch under the Round 3 A+ sourced standard. The genuine Abraham Lincoln birthplace connection is one of the most significant American presidential-history 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 LaRue County
LaRue County is the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln – the 16th President was born at Sinking Spring Farm in LaRue County on February 12, 1809, and the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park and Knob Creek Farm preserve the Kentucky landscape that shaped Lincoln’s earliest years.
Hodgenville (the county seat, population ~3,000) celebrates its extraordinary heritage – the Lincoln statue on the courthouse square and the national park draw visitors from across the country to one of America’s most historically significant small towns.
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LaRue County PVA at 209 W. High Street, Suite 2, Hodgenville, KY 42748, phone 270-358-9332. KY residential assessed at 100% of fair cash value.
Courts & Legal
LaRue County Circuit Court at 209 W. High Street, Hodgenville, KY 42748, phone 270-358-3195, 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)
209 W. Jefferson St., Hodgenville, KY 42748
(270) 358-3544
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Court Records)
209 W. Jefferson St., Hodgenville, KY 42748
(270) 358-3545
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
209 W. Jefferson St., Hodgenville, KY 42748
(270) 358-3544
Genealogy
County-level record sources
LaRue County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, near Hodgenville, is a significant local historical resource.
Local societies
No dedicated LaRue 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
LaRue County District Court LaRue County Courthouse Annex, 209 West High Street, P.O. Box 191, Hodgenville, KY 42748 (270) 358-3421
LaRue County was founded 1843, named for John LaRue. Its seat, Hodgenville, is also its largest city and the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln.
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
209 W. Jefferson St., Hodgenville, KY 42748
(270) 358-3984
SHERIFF / TAX COLLECTOR
209 W. Jefferson St., Hodgenville, KY 42748
(270) 358-3984
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
209 W. Jefferson St., Hodgenville, KY 42748
(270) 358-3544
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
209 W. Jefferson St., Hodgenville, KY 42748
(270) 358-3544
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Office: LaRue County Health Department – confirm current contact via chfs.ky.gov local health department directory.
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