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Kentucky County
Marion County, Kentucky
Lebanon's Maker's Mark connection and Kentucky's Catholic heritage - from Maker's Mark Distillery's proximity (the iconic red-wax-sealed bourbon distillery at Loretto, just across the county line in neighboring Washington County, draws visitors through Marion County's Lebanon as the gateway community) to Marion County's extraordinary Catholic heritage (the region around Lebanon was one of the earliest centers of Catholic settlement in Kentucky - the Diocese of Louisville's historic missions and the Loretto Motherhouse of the Sisters of Loretto reflect a deep Catholic presence that gives this Bluegrass community an unusually strong European religious heritage).
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Office: Marion County Emergency Management – 214 North Harrison Street, Lebanon, KY 40033 | (270) 692-0491. Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
Sheriff: Marion County Sheriff’s Office – 223 North Spalding Avenue, Suite 101, Lebanon, KY 40033 | (270) 692-3051 | Fax (270) 692-4389; Sheriff Jimmy Clements (note: one source lists Sheriff Ray Gardner – confirm current officeholder directly). Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-68 and KY-55 serve Lebanon, the county seat, in central Kentucky.
Notes: Marion County, formed in 1834, is named for Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion (“the Swamp Fox”). Lebanon, established in 1814 and named for its abundant cedar trees (evoking the biblical Lebanon), became the county seat in 1835 and was once considered as a potential site for Kentucky’s state capitol.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Marion County Courthouse – Lebanon, KY.
Notes: Marion County is home to Maker’s Mark Distillery near Loretto, one of the most iconic stops on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and, in 1980, the very first alcoholic-beverage production facility in the United States to be designated a National Historic Landmark (listed as “Burks’ Distillery,” reflecting the site’s earlier 19th-century milling and distilling history dating to 1805). Bill and Margie Samuels purchased the property in 1953 and began producing their distinctive wheated bourbon, sealed with the brand’s now-iconic hand-dipped red wax, first bottled in 1958. The distillery, part of the county’s broader “Marion County Trail” alongside Limestone Branch Distillery and the Kentucky Cooperage, draws over 100,000 visitors annually.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Marion County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via marioncounty.ky.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Marion County Public Library (Lebanon) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Maker’s Mark Distillery, Limestone Branch Distillery, and the Kentucky Cooperage are the county’s premier tourism attractions along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail; the Lebanon Historic Commercial District and Lebanon National Cemetery are additional heritage sites.
Notes: The genuine “first National Historic Landmark alcoholic-beverage facility” distinction at Maker’s Mark is one of the most widely recognized bourbon-heritage facts covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Marion County Property Valuation Administrator – confirm current contact via marioncounty.ky.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Marion County Animal Shelter – 1105 Highway 208, Lebanon, KY 40033 | (270) 692-0464 | Email: [email protected]. Adoption fees: dogs $150 plus tax, cats $75 plus tax; requires a vet reference and approved application. Hours: confirm current hours directly (approximately 9 AM-4 PM).
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Marion County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via marioncounty.ky.gov.
NOTES: Marion County is the fourth county in Kentucky’s eleventh batch under the Round 3 A+ sourced standard. The genuine “first National Historic Landmark alcoholic-beverage facility” distinction at Maker’s Mark is one of the most widely recognized bourbon-heritage 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 Marion County
Marion County is central Kentucky’s Catholic heritage and bourbon country gateway county – one of Kentucky’s earliest Catholic settlement areas and the gateway to the Maker’s Mark distillery corridor define Lebanon’s distinctive Bluegrass identity.
Lebanon (the county seat, population ~6,000) is at the center of Kentucky’s early Catholic settlement area – the Sisters of Loretto founded their motherhouse at nearby Loretto in 1812, and the region’s Catholic heritage reflects the Maryland Catholic families who settled central Kentucky in the early 19th century.
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Marion County PVA at 223 N. Spalding Avenue, Suite 101, Lebanon, KY 40033, phone 270-692-2651. KY property assessed at fair cash value.
Courts & Legal
Marion County Circuit Court at 223 N. Spalding Avenue, Lebanon, KY 40033, phone 270-692-7781, 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)
120 W. Main St., Lebanon, KY 40033
(270) 692-2651
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Court Records)
120 W. Main St., Lebanon, KY 40033
(270) 692-3636
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
120 W. Main St., Lebanon, KY 40033
(270) 692-2651
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Marion County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Marion 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
Marion County District Court Marion County Judicial Center, 121 North Spalding Avenue, Lebanon, KY 40033 (270) 692-2681 Marion County is in central Kentucky, seated in Lebanon.
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
120 W. Main St., Lebanon, KY 40033
(270) 692-3221
SHERIFF / TAX COLLECTOR
120 W. Main St., Lebanon, KY 40033
(270) 692-3221
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
120 W. Main St., Lebanon, KY 40033
(270) 692-2651
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
120 W. Main St., Lebanon, KY 40033
(270) 692-2651
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Marion County Health Dept
(270) 692-3393
KY CHFS — Lincoln Trail Region
(270) 766-5100
KY Medicaid
(855) 306-8959
Spring View Hospital
springviewhospital.com (Lebanon — quality community hospital)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Marion County Health Department – confirm current contact via chfs.ky.gov local health department directory.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Lebanon
Population: 20,000
Area: 345 sq mi
Established: 1834
Tier: 3
Public Records
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