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Kentucky County
Pendleton County, Kentucky
Falmouth's 1997 flood and Cincinnati exurb growth - from the catastrophic March 1997 flood (the Licking River's record flood of March 1997 inundated much of downtown Falmouth, destroying dozens of buildings and displacing hundreds of families in one of Kentucky's most devastating flood events - the community rebuilt and elevated key structures, but the flood remains a defining community memory) to Pendleton County's growth as a Cincinnati southeastern exurb (the I-75 and AA Highway corridors provide commuting access to the Cincinnati metro, drawing residential development to affordable Pendleton County land).
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Office: Pendleton County Emergency Management – 2275 Highway 27 North, Falmouth, KY 41040 | (859) 654-1930 | Fax (859) 654-6547; Director Mike Moore. Hours: Mon-Fri 8 AM-4:30 PM. Non-emergency dispatch: (859) 654-3300 / (859) 428-1212 (after hours).
Sheriff: Pendleton County Sheriff’s Office – 202 Chapel Street, Falmouth, KY 41040 | (859) 654-4511 | Fax (859) 654-5974; Sheriff Jared M. Brewer. Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 AM-4 PM, plus 2nd/last Saturday of the month 9 AM-noon.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-27 serves Falmouth, the county seat, at the confluence of the Licking River’s Main and South Forks in northern Kentucky.
Notes: Pendleton County was formed in 1798 and named for Edmund Pendleton, a Virginia statesman and jurist. The county has flood-monitoring infrastructure including a USGS/Army Corps flood-inundation mapping system for the Licking River.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Pendleton County Courthouse – Falmouth, KY.
Notes: Falmouth was the site of one of the most devastating floods in Kentucky history. On March 1-2, 1997, torrential rain sent the Licking River to over 51 feet – more than 24 feet above flood stage and the worst flood in the town’s recorded history – submerging roughly 80% of Falmouth under as much as 8 feet of water. Five people died and nearly 1,000 families lost their homes; damage exceeded $40-50 million. In the aftermath, the city partnered with FEMA on a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program buyout of 83 flood-damaged properties, converting the land to permanent open space to reduce future flood risk. The community held 20th and 25th anniversary remembrances in 2017 and 2022, reflecting on both the tragedy and the town’s resilience in rebuilding.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Pendleton County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via pendletoncounty.ky.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Pendleton County Public Library (Falmouth) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Kincaid Regional Theatre in Falmouth and the Licking River corridor are the county’s notable community and recreation assets.
Notes: The 1997 Falmouth flood is presented here with care given its significance and the loss of life involved, alongside the community’s documented, ongoing resilience in rebuilding.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Pendleton County Property Valuation Administrator – confirm current contact via pendletoncounty.ky.gov. Note: USGS/Army Corps of Engineers maintain detailed flood-inundation maps for the Licking River near Falmouth, useful for property and emergency planning purposes.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Pendleton County Animal Shelter – 1314 Bryan Griffin Road, Butler, KY 41006 | Mailing: 233 Main St, Falmouth, KY 41040 | (859) 472-5400. Report animal concerns via Pendleton County Dispatch, (859) 654-3300. Adoption fee $125 (includes rabies/distemper/Bordetella vaccinations, worming, spay/neuter, flea/tick prevention, microchipping). Hours: Mon 11 AM-5 PM, Wed-Fri 11 AM-5 PM, Sat 10 AM-2 PM, closed Tue/Sun.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Pendleton County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via pendletoncounty.ky.gov.
NOTES: Pendleton County is the first county in Kentucky’s fourteenth batch under the Round 3 A+ sourced standard. The 1997 Falmouth flood – one of Kentucky’s deadliest and most destructive natural disasters – is presented here with appropriate care given the loss of life involved. 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 Pendleton County
Pendleton County is northern Kentucky’s Licking River flood recovery and Cincinnati exurb county – Falmouth’s 1997 catastrophic flood and subsequent recovery and the community’s Cincinnati commuter growth define a northern Kentucky county navigating its recent history.
Falmouth (the county seat, population ~2,200) was devastated by the March 1997 Licking River flood – the worst flood in the county’s modern history. Community rebuilding and flood mitigation infrastructure have shaped Falmouth’s post-flood development.
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Pendleton County PVA at 233 Main Street, Suite 3, Falmouth, KY 41040, phone 859-654-4511. KY property assessed at fair cash value.
Courts & Legal
Pendleton County Circuit Court at 233 Main Street, Falmouth, KY 41040, phone 859-654-4321, 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)
233 Main St., Falmouth, KY 41040
(859) 654-3380
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Court Records)
233 Main St., Falmouth, KY 41040
(859) 654-4411
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
233 Main St., Falmouth, KY 41040
(859) 654-3380
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Pendleton County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Pendleton 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
Pendleton County District Court 120 Ridgeway Avenue, Falmouth, KY 41040 (859) 654-3347
Pendleton County is in northern Kentucky at the confluence of the Licking River’s north and south forks, seated in Falmouth.
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
233 Main St., Falmouth, KY 41040
(859) 654-8511
SHERIFF / TAX COLLECTOR
233 Main St., Falmouth, KY 41040
(859) 654-8511
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
233 Main St., Falmouth, KY 41040
(859) 654-3380
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
233 Main St., Falmouth, KY 41040
(859) 654-3380
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Pendleton County Health Dept
(859) 654-8551
KY CHFS — Northern KY Region
(859) 344-7900
KY Medicaid
(855) 306-8959
St. Elizabeth Healthcare (Edgewood)
stelizabeth.com (primary regional hospital)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Pendleton 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: Falmouth
Population: 14,500
Area: 281 sq mi
Established: 1798
Tier: 3
Public Records
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