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Kentucky County
Wayne County, Kentucky
Lake Cumberland's Wayne County shoreline and houseboat capital - from Lake Cumberland's Wayne County access (the 50,250-acre reservoir - one of the largest man-made lakes in the eastern United States - has more miles of shoreline than the entire coastline of Florida, and its houseboating culture has made it one of America's premier freshwater boating destinations) to Monticello's position as the primary service community for the lake's southern reaches and Wayne County's status as houseboat rental capital of the United States.
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Office: Wayne County Emergency Management – 111 Jim Hill Road, Monticello, KY 42633 | (606) 348-3302. Hours: Mon-Fri 8 AM-4:30 PM. Wayne County EMS – 795 N. Main Street, Monticello, KY 42633.
Sheriff: Wayne County Sheriff’s Office – 55 North Main Street, Suite 104, Monticello, KY 42633 | (606) 348-5416 | Fax (606) 348-3284 | Email: [email protected]; Sheriff Tim Catron (also reported as Sheriff Raphael Washington in some sources – confirm current officeholder).
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-90 and KY-92 serve Monticello, the county seat, near Lake Cumberland in south-central Kentucky. Monticello was named for President Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia home and incorporated in 1801.
Notes: Wayne County borders Tennessee. The Wayne County/Monticello area is genuinely known as the “Houseboat Manufacturing Capital of the World” – a distinction reflected on the city’s own welcome sign.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Wayne County Courthouse – Monticello, KY.
Notes: Monticello is home to a remarkable concentration of houseboat manufacturers – including the historic Stardust Cruisers (the oldest continually operating houseboat company in the nation), Thoroughbred Houseboats, and Sumerset Houseboats, which merged in 2014 into Trifecta Houseboats, now widely considered the largest houseboat manufacturer in the country. Houseboat Magazine identified the Lake Cumberland region as producing more houseboats than any other area in the U.S., and in September 2014 the Kentucky legislature formally passed a resolution declaring Kentucky the “Houseboat Capital of the World,” with Governor Steve Beshear noting the industry contributes over $800 million to the state economy. While neighboring Pulaski County (Lake Cumberland’s primary recreational hub) is often associated with houseboat use, Wayne County/Monticello is the genuine manufacturing heart of the industry.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Wayne County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via waynecounty.ky.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Wayne County Public Library (Monticello) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Trifecta Houseboats manufacturing facility, Lake Cumberland access points, and the Wayne County Historical Museum are the county’s notable attractions.
Notes: The genuine “Houseboat Manufacturing Capital of the World” distinction, backed by a formal 2014 Kentucky legislative resolution, is a significant Kentucky manufacturing fact covered in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Wayne County Property Valuation Administrator – confirm current contact via waynecounty.ky.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Wayne County Animal Control – 176 Blevins Street, Monticello, KY 42633 | (606) 348-0575; Animal Control Officer Bryan Bell. Hours: Mon-Fri 8 AM-4 PM.
Humane Society of Wayne County – Mailing: PO Box 1400, Monticello, KY 42633 | (606) 348-3640 (also (606) 343-0096 in some listings); separate nonprofit partner offering pet adoption and low-cost spay/neuter services.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Wayne County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via waynecounty.ky.gov.
NOTES: Wayne County is the seventh and final county in Kentucky’s sixteenth batch under the Round 3 A+ sourced standard. The genuine “Houseboat Manufacturing Capital of the World” distinction, backed by a formal 2014 Kentucky legislative resolution, is a significant Kentucky manufacturing fact 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 Wayne County
Wayne County is south-central Kentucky’s Lake Cumberland houseboat capital – the massive reservoir’s Wayne County shoreline and the extraordinary concentration of houseboat rental operations make it one of America’s premier freshwater leisure destinations.
Lake Cumberland’s 50,250 acres and 1,255 miles of shoreline – more than Florida’s entire coastline – support a massive houseboat rental industry that draws visitors from across the eastern United States. Wayne County’s position on the lake’s southern reaches provides marinas and services.
Monticello (the county seat, population ~6,000) serves as the commercial hub for the lake’s southern communities.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Wayne County PVA at 55 N. Main Street, Suite B, Monticello, KY 42633, phone 606-348-6621. KY property assessed at fair cash value.
Courts & Legal
Wayne County Circuit Court at 55 N. Main Street, Monticello, KY 42633, phone 606-348-5721, 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)
109 N. Main St., Monticello, KY 42633
(606) 348-5721
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Court Records)
109 N. Main St., Monticello, KY 42633
(606) 348-8493
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
109 N. Main St., Monticello, KY 42633
(606) 348-5721
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Wayne 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 Wayne 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
Wayne County District Court 100 West Columbia Avenue, Suite 101, Monticello, KY 42633 (606) 348-5841
Wayne County is on the Tennessee border in south-central Kentucky near Lake Cumberland, seated in Monticello, its largest city.
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
109 N. Main St., Monticello, KY 42633
(606) 348-5765
SHERIFF / TAX COLLECTOR
109 N. Main St., Monticello, KY 42633
(606) 348-5765
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
109 N. Main St., Monticello, KY 42633
(606) 348-5721
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
109 N. Main St., Monticello, KY 42633
(606) 348-5721
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Wayne County Health Dept
(606) 348-8871
KY CHFS — Lake Cumberland Region
(606) 677-4000
KY Medicaid
(855) 306-8959
Wayne County Hospital
waynecountyhospital.org (Monticello — quality community hospital)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Wayne County Health Department – confirm current contact via waynecounty.ky.gov.
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