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Missouri County
Crawford County, Missouri
Steelville's float fishing capital and Route 66's Cuba murals - from Steelville's self-proclaimed title as the Float Fishing Capital of the World (the Meramec River and its clear Ozarks tributaries - Huzzah Creek, Courtois Creek, and others - provide some of Missouri's finest canoe float fishing, and Steelville's outfitters have served floaters for decades) to Cuba's remarkable Route 66 mural program (the town of Cuba has commissioned over a dozen large-scale murals depicting Missouri and Route 66 history, transforming it into one of the most visually striking Route 66 communities) and the Onondaga Cave State Park's extraordinary cavern.
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Sheriff: Crawford County Sheriff’s Office – 212 Third St. / 302 W Main, Steelville, MO 65565 | (573) 775-2125 | Fax: (573) 775-2126 or (573) 775-3413 | Email: [email protected]; Sheriff Darin J. Layman.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-44 and MO-19/8/49 serve Steelville, the county seat, in the eastern Missouri Ozarks along the Meramec River.
Notes: Crawford County offices are centered at 302 Main St., PO Box AS, Steelville, MO 65565, (573) 775-2376. The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail passed through Crawford County in 1837-1839 during the forced removal of the Cherokee Nation. Steelville was originally known as “Valley of Springs.”
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Crawford County Commission – 302 Main St., Steelville, MO 65565.
Notes: Crawford County is genuinely home to Onondaga Cave State Park, a U.S. National Natural Landmark (designated 1980) located on the Meramec River about 5 miles southeast of Leasburg. Established as a state park in 1982, it draws over 420,000 visitors annually for cave tours, camping, fishing, hiking, and swimming. (Note: the more widely known “Meramec Caverns” tourist attraction near Stanton is located in neighboring Franklin County, not Crawford County – a common point of confusion.) The county also includes portions of Mark Twain National Forest and the Meramec, Huzzah, and Courtois Rivers.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Crawford County Veterans Service – confirm current contact via crawfordcountymo.net.
Federal: VA facilities accessible via the St. Louis VA Medical Center; confirm current routing.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Crawford County Library District – 210 S. 4th Street, Steelville, MO 65565 | (573) 775-2338; also includes branches in Bourbon and Cuba.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Onondaga Cave State Park, the Crawford County Historical Society and Museum, and the Meramec, Huzzah, and Courtois Rivers (popular for canoeing and float trips) are the county’s premier attractions.
Notes: The genuine National Natural Landmark status of Onondaga Cave is a distinctive local fact, and the common confusion with the Franklin County-based Meramec Caverns is worth flagging for accuracy.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Crawford County Assessor – confirm current contact via crawfordcountymo.net.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
City of Steelville Pound – Industrial Drive, Steelville, MO 65565 | (573) 775-2200.
Cuba, MO Animal Control – 224 Enterprise Drive, Cuba, MO 65453 | (573) 885-0339 | Email: [email protected].
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Crawford County – confirm current contact via crawfordcountymo.net.
NOTES: Crawford County is the first county in the fifth batch of the Missouri v2 A+ sourced redo. Onondaga Cave State Park’s National Natural Landmark status is a distinctive local fact, and this file corrects the common confusion between it and the Franklin County-based Meramec Caverns. 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 Crawford County
Crawford County is south-central Missouri’s float fishing and Route 66 mural county – an Ozarks community whose clear streams, cave system, and highway art make it a distinctive destination.
Steelville (the county seat, population ~2,000) has built an identity around the Meramec River’s float fishing – Huzzah Creek and Courtois Creek float trips through the Ozarks hardwood forest are among Missouri’s most scenic outdoor experiences.
Cuba (population ~3,500) on Route 66 has transformed its commercial district with large-scale murals depicting Missouri history, making it one of the most visually engaged Route 66 communities and a popular stop for Mother Road travelers.
Onondaga Cave State Park – along the Meramec River – contains one of Missouri’s most spectacular cave systems, with enormous cavern rooms and exceptional speleothem formations.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Crawford County Assessor at 200 Main Street, Room 101, Steelville, MO 65565, phone 573-775-2065. MO residential assessed at 19% of true value. Appeal to Board of Equalization.
Courts & Legal
Crawford County Circuit Court at 200 Main Street, Steelville, MO 65565, phone 573-775-2185, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
111 W. Washington St., Steelville, MO 65565
(573) 775-2376
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Crawford County Circuit Court, Probate Division (probate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Crawford 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
Crawford County Circuit Court, Probate Division 302 W. Main Street (mail: P.O. Box 1550), Steelville, MO 65565 (573) 775-2866 Crawford County is in southeastern Missouri, seated in Steelville.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Missouri probate is governed by Title XXXI of the Missouri Revised Statutes (Chapters 470-475), the Probate Code.
Small Estate Affidavit (RSMo § 473.097) – available when the entire estate, less liens and encumbrances, does not exceed $40,000. A 30-day waiting period after death applies, and only if no application for letters is pending. If the property listed is worth more than $15,000, the clerk must publish a notice to creditors in a newspaper of general circulation in the county. A bond may be required. Once the court issues a certified small estate certificate, the affiant presents it directly to whoever holds the property to collect and distribute assets – avoiding full probate. Typical timeline: about two months to close, versus six months to a year or more for full probate.
Formal Administration – required for larger or more complex estates. A petition for Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (without one) is filed with the probate division. After review, the court appoints the personal representative and issues the letters. Missouri offers both supervised and independent administration. Missouri requires an attorney to represent the personal representative in both types of administration.
Step 2: filing for formal probate
File a petition with the Probate Division of the Circuit Court in the county where the decedent was domiciled.
The court appoints the personal representative and issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
The personal representative publishes a notice to creditors in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, and gives direct notice to known creditors. Creditors have 6 months from the date of first publication to file claims.
Within 30 days of appointment (unless the court extends the deadline), the personal representative files an inventory and appraisement of all estate assets.
After debts are paid and the creditor claim period expires, the personal representative distributes the remaining assets and files a final settlement with the court to close the estate.
What it costs
Missouri sets statutory minimum fees for attorneys and personal representatives based on a percentage of the estate’s value, though additional fees may be allowed for extraordinary services.
Missouri has no state estate tax and no state inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax could apply, and only to very large estates.
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
111 W. Washington St., Steelville, MO 65565
(573) 775-2618
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
111 W. Washington St., Steelville, MO 65565
(573) 775-2376
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
MO Dept of Social Services — Crawford
(573) 775-2141
Phelps Health
phelpshealth.org (Rolla — accessible; major regional hospital)
Office: Crawford County Health Department – confirm current phone via crawfordcountymo.net.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Steelville
Population: 24,000
Area: 743 sq mi
Established: 1829
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Crawford County residents.
