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Texas County
Callahan County, Texas
Baird and I-20 west Texas ranch country - from Baird's position along I-20 as the governmental hub of Callahan County to the county's rolling west Texas ranch and farming landscape (Callahan County's mesquite and shin oak terrain supports cattle ranching and some dryland farming across a classic west Texas agricultural county along the I-20 corridor between Abilene and the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, with the Clear Fork of the Brazos River draining the county's rolling terrain).
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Office: Callahan County – coordinated through the County Judge’s office, 100 W. 4th St, Baird, TX 79504 | (325) 854-5805
Genuinely important fact: The 1929 Callahan County Courthouse is currently undergoing a historic restoration (funded partly by a Texas Historical Commission grant plus a local bond) to address water infiltration, roof damage, non-functional elevator, and outdated wiring. During construction, MOST COUNTY OFFICES OPERATE FROM A TEMPORARY OPERATIONS BUILDING at 1257 FM 2047, Baird – confirm current office locations before a visit, since this is an active, ongoing situation, not a permanent address.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-20 runs through the northern part of the county via Baird and Clyde, connecting west to Abilene (about 20 miles) and east to Cisco
Transit: No dedicated county-wide public transit system was found in this search – confirm directly with the county or your city
Notes: Callahan County is part of the Abilene metropolitan area; Clyde is the county’s largest city, though Baird remains the county seat.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
No dedicated county building/permitting department was confirmed in this search – for a project in unincorporated Callahan County, contact the County Judge’s office, (325) 854-5805, to confirm current requirements; for property within a city (Baird, Clyde, Cross Plains, Putnam), contact that city hall directly.
Notes: A genuine gap in what this search could confirm – call before assuming no permit applies.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
No dedicated county Veterans Service Officer contact was confirmed in this search.
State VSO: Texas Veterans Commission – tvc.texas.gov
VA Health: VA North Texas Health Care System’s Granbury Community Based Outpatient Clinic, (817) 326-3902, serves Callahan County among several others within roughly 30 miles/30 minutes of veterans’ homes in the region.
Notes: Call the County Judge’s office to confirm current local veteran services arrangements.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Callahan County Library – founded in 1937 by the Baird Wednesday Club, historically located in the basement of the Callahan County Courthouse alongside the Pioneer Museum (added 1940). Given the ongoing courthouse restoration (see Section 6), confirm the library’s current operating location and hours directly before visiting, since services may be temporarily relocated along with other county offices.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Callahan Divide, a range of hills extending 26 miles west to southeast through the county, marks the boundary between the Brazos River basin to the north and the Colorado River basin to the south; the historic Texas and Pacific Railway depot in Baird now operates as a visitor center and transportation museum
Notes: A modest, honest listing rather than padded content – this is a small, rural county without a major state park or national landmark within its boundaries based on this search.
No dedicated county animal control department or shelter was confirmed in this search.
Notes: A genuine gap – for a stray or nuisance animal, contact the Callahan County Sheriff’s Office, (325) 854-1444 (non-emergency), to confirm current response options.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
No county-wide landfill or transfer station was confirmed in this search.
Notes: Confirm current household waste disposal options directly with the County Judge’s office, (325) 854-5805, or your specific city.
NOTES: Callahan County is the first of this five-county batch (Callahan, Cameron, Camp, Carson, Cass). The most important, time-sensitive fact here is the ongoing 1929 courthouse restoration – anyone needing to visit county offices, the library, or the museum should confirm the current location first, since services have been temporarily relocated during construction. Several other sections (building permits, veterans services, animal control, waste) reflect genuine gaps typical of a small rural county and are flagged honestly. 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 Callahan County
Callahan County is west-central Texas’s I-20 corridor ranch county – cattle and some dryland farming across the rolling mesquite terrain define a county where Baird serves as the governmental hub for agricultural communities along the I-20 corridor between Abilene and Eastland.
Baird (the county seat, population ~1,500) is Callahan County’s governmental center, a small west Texas county seat providing services to the surrounding ranching communities.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Callahan County Appraisal District at 100 W. 4th Street, Baird, TX 79504, phone 325-854-1217.
Courts & Legal
Callahan County District Court at 100 W. 4th Street, Baird, TX 79504, phone 325-854-5815, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
100 West 4th St, Baird, TX 79504
(325) 854-1217
DISTRICT CLERK
100 West 4th St, Baird, TX 79504
(325) 854-1217
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Callahan County Clerk’s Office, Baird (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Callahan 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, Callahan County 100 West 4th Street, Suite 104, Baird, TX 79504 (325) 854-5815 Callahan County is in West Central Texas, seated in Baird.
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 Callahan, sometimes assisted by district courts). In Callahan County, the County Court 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 Callahan 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 Callahan 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
100 West 4th St, Baird, TX 79504
(325) 854-1325
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
100 West 4th St, Baird, TX 79504
(325) 854-1217
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
100 West 4th St, Baird, TX 79504
(325) 854-1217
HHSC Office
100 West 4th St, Baird, TX 79504
(325) 854-1217
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
No standalone county health department was confirmed in this search – a community health clinic serves the Cross Plains area: 301 S. Main St, Cross Plains, TX 76443 | (254) 725-4311 | Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 AM–5:00 PM, plus the third Saturday of each month 9:00 AM–1:00 PM; services include medical care, case management, counseling, and outreach.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Baird
Population: 14,000
Established: 1858
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Callahan County residents.
