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Kentucky County
Russell County, Kentucky
Lake Cumberland's Jamestown marina hub and south-central Kentucky recreation - from Jamestown's position as Lake Cumberland's primary marina and service community (Jamestown sits at the heart of Lake Cumberland's central basin - the 50,250-acre reservoir's most active marina district, with multiple major marinas, houseboat rentals, and resort facilities making Jamestown the functional capital of Lake Cumberland recreation) to Russell County's position between the lake and the Tennessee border in the rolling south-central Kentucky terrain.
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Office: Russell County Emergency Management – 410 Monument Square, Jamestown, KY 42629 | (270) 585-1416. Hours: Mon-Fri 8 AM-4:30 PM (CST). Russell County E-911 – 108 Ferco Way, Jamestown, KY 42629, Fax (270) 343-6616.
Sheriff: Russell County Sheriff’s Office – 410 Monument Square, Jamestown, KY 42629 | Mailing: PO Box 78 | (270) 343-2191 | Fax (270) 343-2195; Sheriff Lee Smith.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-127 and KY-90 serve Jamestown, the county seat; Russell Springs is the county’s largest city. Jamestown and Russell Springs were among Kentucky’s first gigabit-internet communities, completing state-of-the-art fiber-optic infrastructure in 2015.
Notes: Russell County was formed December 14, 1825 from parts of Adair, Cumberland, and Wayne counties, named for General William Russell, a Kentucky pioneer and War of 1812 officer.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Russell County Courthouse – Jamestown, KY.
Notes: Russell County is home to Wolf Creek Dam, a major U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam on the Cumberland River that impounds Lake Cumberland – one of the largest man-made lakes east of the Mississippi River by volume, with 1,255 miles of shoreline (longer than the entire shoreline of Florida) and roughly 6 million acre-feet of water capacity. First proposed in the 1920s, construction began in 1941, was paused by World War II, and finished in 1951-52. Creating the lake required relocating entire communities – Rowena, Long Bottom, Swan Pond Bottom, and others – along with 123 cemeteries and the remains of roughly 2,800 people to higher ground. The dam also houses a hydroelectric power station and the Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery (built 1975), a popular trout-fishing destination.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Russell County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via russellcountyky.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Russell County Public Library (Jamestown) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Wolf Creek Dam, the Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery, Kendall Recreation Area, and Lake Cumberland State Resort Park are the county’s premier – and among Kentucky’s most economically significant – outdoor recreation attractions.
Notes: The genuine Wolf Creek Dam/Lake Cumberland creation story, including the relocation of thousands of graves, is a significant piece of mid-20th-century Kentucky infrastructure history covered in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Russell County Property Valuation Administrator – 410 Monument Square, Suite 106, Jamestown, KY 42629 | (270) 343-4395. Hours: Mon-Fri 8 AM-4 PM.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Russell County Animal Shelter – Landfield Road, Russell Springs, KY 42642 | (270) 866-9548.
Russell County Animal Welfare League – separate nonprofit partner supporting the county shelter.
Lake Cumberland Animal Welfare League – Jamestown, KY; separate rescue/adoption organization.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Russell County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via russellcountyky.gov.
NOTES: Russell County is the second county in Kentucky’s fifteenth batch under the Round 3 A+ sourced standard. The genuine Wolf Creek Dam/Lake Cumberland creation story, including the relocation of thousands of graves, is a significant piece of mid-20th-century Kentucky infrastructure history 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 Russell County
Russell County is south-central Kentucky’s Lake Cumberland marina capital – Jamestown serves as the primary service hub for Lake Cumberland’s central basin, the heart of Kentucky’s houseboat and freshwater recreation economy.
Jamestown (the county seat, population ~1,800) is positioned at Lake Cumberland’s most active marina district – the town’s economy revolves almost entirely around serving the lake’s enormous recreation demand. Multiple major marinas, houseboat rental fleets, and resort facilities make Jamestown the functional hub of Lake Cumberland’s tourism economy.
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Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Russell County PVA at 410 Monument Square, Suite 104, Jamestown, KY 42629, phone 270-343-4395. KY property assessed at fair cash value.
Courts & Legal
Russell County Circuit Court at 410 Monument Square, Jamestown, KY 42629, phone 270-343-2161, 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)
410 Monument Square, Jamestown, KY 42629
(270) 343-2125
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Court Records)
410 Monument Square, Jamestown, KY 42629
(270) 343-3347
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
410 Monument Square, Jamestown, KY 42629
(270) 343-2125
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Russell County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Lake Cumberland is a significant local natural and recreational landmark.
Local societies
No dedicated Russell 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
Russell County District Court Russell County Judicial Center, 202 Monument Square, Suite 106, Jamestown, KY 42629 (270) 343-2185 Russell County is in south-central Kentucky near Lake Cumberland, seated in Jamestown.
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
410 Monument Square, Jamestown, KY 42629
(270) 343-2191
SHERIFF / TAX COLLECTOR
410 Monument Square, Jamestown, KY 42629
(270) 343-2191
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
410 Monument Square, Jamestown, KY 42629
(270) 343-2125
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
410 Monument Square, Jamestown, KY 42629
(270) 343-2125
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Office: Russell County Health Department – confirm current contact via russellcountyky.gov.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Jamestown
Population: 18,000
Area: 254 sq mi
Established: 1826
Tier: 3
Public Records
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