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Texas County
Bailey County, Texas
Muleshoe National Mule Memorial and South Plains agriculture - from Muleshoe's National Mule Memorial (Muleshoe is home to the world's first monument dedicated to the mule, honoring the animal's indispensable role in opening the American West and farming the South Plains - the bronze mule statue in the city park is a beloved Texas roadside attraction celebrating a working animal's contribution to the region's agricultural heritage) to Bailey County's Ogallala Aquifer-irrigated cotton and grain farming (the county's flat Llano Estacado terrain supports cotton, grain sorghum, and corn production using irrigation from the Ogallala Aquifer that underlies the Texas South Plains).
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Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Office: Emergency Management is a combined City of Muleshoe / Bailey County function – Kevin Baize serves as Emergency Management Coordinator, designated by the Mayor per Texas Government Code Section 418.1015, based out of the Muleshoe Police Department, 215 S. First Street, Muleshoe, TX 79347 | (806) 272-4528 | Fax: (806) 272-5260
Alert System: Smart911 – City of Muleshoe Emergency Alerts (sign up via the city’s website)
Notes: By state law, the County Judge is the county’s Emergency Management Director and the Mayor is the city’s – the Coordinator role assists both. For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-84 is the primary highway through the county, running through Muleshoe (the Blackwater Valley); SH-214 runs south to the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge
Transit: No dedicated county-wide public transit system was found in this search – confirm directly with the county whether any current transit option serves residents
Notes: A very rural West Texas High Plains county (pop. approx. 6,900), an agricultural and ranching economy; Muleshoe is about 70 miles northwest of Lubbock and 30 miles southwest of Clovis, New Mexico.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: No dedicated county building/permitting department was found in this search – for zoning questions specifically, the Muleshoe City Council governs zoning within city limits; for a rural/unincorporated project, contact the Bailey County Judge’s office, (806) 272-3077, to confirm current permitting requirements
Notes: This is a genuine gap this search could not fully resolve – call before assuming no permit is needed.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Bailey County Veterans Services – Bailey County Courthouse, 300 S. 1st Street, Muleshoe, TX 79347; a direct phone line was not confirmed in this search – call the County Judge’s office, (806) 272-3077, to be connected
State VSO: Texas Veterans Commission – tvc.texas.gov
Notes: The county’s Veterans page lists resources including the Ussery-Roan Texas State Veterans Home, a Meals for Vets program, and a Mental Health Resource – check co.bailey.tx.us/page/bailey.Veterans for current details.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Muleshoe Area Public Library – 322 West 2nd Street, Muleshoe, TX 79347 | (806) 272-4707 | Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–6:00 PM
Notes: This is the only library in Bailey County and is fully funded by the City of Muleshoe. It also serves a wide surrounding region – communities in Lamb, Parmer, and Cochran counties, and even Texico, New Mexico, use it as their nearest library. It offers TexShare and Loan Star borrowing privileges for out-of-town patrons with proof of Texas residency.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge, the oldest national wildlife refuge in Texas (established 1935), located 20 miles south of Muleshoe on SH-214 – a 6,440-acre refuge that hosts one of the largest wintering concentrations of sandhill cranes in North America, with numbers historically peaking between December and mid-February (a record 250,000 cranes was recorded in February 1981); free admission, hiking trails, primitive camping near refuge headquarters; the National Mule Memorial (“Ol’ Pete”) in downtown Muleshoe, a locally cherished statue that was invited to and attended President George W. Bush’s first inauguration in 2001; the Muleshoe Heritage Center, featuring the “World’s Largest Muleshoe” (22 feet tall) and several relocated historic West Texas ranch buildings; more than 130 acres of city parks, a water park, and disc golf
Notes: The sandhill crane migration is a genuine, significant natural spectacle – not manufactured superlative language – and is one of the most concrete reasons to visit this part of the county. Confirm current crane numbers and refuge conditions directly with U.S. Fish and Wildlife before planning a trip, since water levels and bird numbers vary year to year.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Bailey County Appraisal District (Bailey CAD) – 302 Main Street, Muleshoe, TX 79347 | (806) 272-5501 | Chief Appraiser: Jessica Rivera | Hours: Monday–Thursday 8 AM–12 PM and 1–5:30 PM, Friday 8 AM–12 PM
Tax Assessor-Collector: 300 S. 1st Street, Suite 140, Muleshoe, TX 79347 | (806) 272-3022
County Clerk (deeds/property records): 300 S. 1st Street, Suite 200, Muleshoe, TX 79347 | (806) 272-3044
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility/Enforcement: City of Muleshoe Animal Control/Code Compliance Officer, operating under the Police Department – reachable via the Muleshoe Police Department, (806) 272-4528; this officer does not have peace-officer arrest authority but handles stray animals, wildlife issues, and code compliance
Fees: $45 surrender, $20 initial impound plus $10/day, $10 city tag, $15 rabies vaccination, up to $150 per violation for an animal-at-large citation
Notes: This is a city-level service – for unincorporated county areas, contact the Bailey County Sheriff’s Office to confirm current response options.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Facility: City of Muleshoe Landfill – 1950 U.S. Hwy 84, Muleshoe, TX 79347; operated by the City’s Public Works Department
Services: No charge for Muleshoe residents disposing of locally generated household waste (a paid water bill may be required as proof of residency); hazardous or regulated waste (batteries, tires, lead paint, pesticides, petroleum products) is NOT accepted
Notes: Confirm current disposal hours directly with Public Works before hauling a load, and confirm whether county (non-city) residents are also permitted to use the facility and under what terms.
NOTES: Bailey County is the fifth and final county in this batch (Archer, Armstrong, Atascosa, Austin, Bailey). Being honest again mattered here: several sections (building permits, veterans services direct line, standalone public health) turned up genuine gaps in a small rural county and are flagged rather than smoothed over. What’s genuinely remarkable here is real: the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge’s sandhill crane migration is one of the largest in North America, and it’s a concrete, verifiable draw rather than manufactured praise. 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 Bailey County
Bailey County is the Texas South Plains’ Muleshoe mule heritage and cotton farming county – the National Mule Memorial celebrates the working animal that helped break the South Plains to agriculture while Ogallala Aquifer-irrigated cotton and grain fields define the county’s contemporary agricultural economy near the New Mexico border.
Muleshoe (the county seat, population ~5,100) is Bailey County’s governmental and commercial hub, a South Plains agricultural town whose mule monument and cotton economy anchor its community identity.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Bailey County Appraisal District at 301 N. 1st Street, Muleshoe, TX 79347, phone 806-272-3034.
Courts & Legal
Bailey County District Court at 300 S. 1st Street, Muleshoe, TX 79347, phone 806-272-3077, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
300 South 1st St, Muleshoe, TX 79347
(806) 272-3044
DISTRICT CLERK
300 South 1st St, Muleshoe, TX 79347
(806) 272-3044
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Bailey County Clerk’s Office, Muleshoe (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Bailey 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
County Clerk, Bailey County 300 South 1st Street, Suite 200, Muleshoe, TX 79347 (806) 272-3044
Bailey County is in West Texas on the New Mexico border, seated in Muleshoe. The Bailey County Courthouse serves as the county court, presided over by a county judge, and handles probate matters.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Texas probate law is governed by the Texas Estates Code. Probate jurisdiction in Texas is split between statutory probate courts (in larger metro counties) and county courts (in smaller counties like Bailey, sometimes assisted by district courts). In Bailey County, the County Court, presided over by the County Judge, handles probate matters.
Small Estate Affidavit (Tex. Est. Code § 205.001) – available ONLY when the decedent died WITHOUT a will (intestate), the estate (excluding homestead and exempt property) does not exceed $75,000, and assets exceed debts. At least 30 days must have passed since death. The affidavit must list every asset and debt, establish the family history showing who the heirs are, and be sworn to by the heirs and two disinterested witnesses; a judge then reviews and approves it under § 205.003.
Independent Administration – used when a will exists (or all heirs agree) and the estate has debts; minimal court supervision after the executor is appointed. This is the most common and efficient path in Texas when available.
Muniment of Title – available when a valid will exists, there are no unsecured debts (other than a mortgage), and there’s no other need for a full administration; transfers title without appointing an executor.
Dependent Administration – required for complex, contested, or disputed estates; involves ongoing court supervision and approval of most actions.
Step 2: filing for administration
The personal representative (or an interested party) files an Application for Probate of Will and Issuance of Letters Testamentary (or Letters of Administration, if intestate) with the Bailey County Clerk.
The original will (if one exists), a certified death certificate, and information about heirs and the proposed executor are included with the application.
The court holds a hearing and issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
The personal representative publishes notice to creditors and gathers, inventories, and appraises the estate’s assets.
The personal representative pays valid debts and expenses.
Remaining assets are distributed to beneficiaries or heirs, and the estate is closed.
What it costs
Filing fees in Texas typically run $250–$400 depending on the county; confirm current Bailey County fees directly.
Texas law allows a statutory executor fee of 5% of all sums actually received and paid out in cash, with specific exceptions. The court may also approve reasonable attorney fees paid from the estate.
Small estate affidavits typically cost $600–$1,900 total when factoring in filing and related fees.
Texas does NOT impose a state estate tax or a state inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax may 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
300 South 1st St, Muleshoe, TX 79347
(806) 272-3524
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
300 South 1st St, Muleshoe, TX 79347
(806) 272-3044
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
300 South 1st St, Muleshoe, TX 79347
(806) 272-3044
HHSC Office
300 South 1st St, Muleshoe, TX 79347
(806) 272-3044
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: No standalone county health department was confirmed in this search – Muleshoe Area Medical Center provides outpatient services, (806) 272-5561, and functions as the area’s primary healthcare access point given the rural setting
Notes: For county-level public health services (WIC, immunizations), confirm current arrangements directly with the County Judge’s office, since no dedicated local health department page was found.
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Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Muleshoe
Population: 6,700
Established: 1918
Tier: 4
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Bailey County residents.
