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Texas County
Chambers County, Texas
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge and the Texas alligator capital - from Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge (the 34,000-acre coastal marsh refuge on Galveston Bay's northern shore - one of the finest birding and wildlife refuges on the Texas Gulf Coast, with spectacular concentrations of migratory shorebirds, waterfowl, roseate spoonbills, and alligators accessible via auto tour roads) to Anahuac's designation as the Alligator Capital of Texas (Chambers County's coastal marshes support one of the highest concentrations of American alligators in Texas - the annual Gatorfest celebrates the county's most famous resident with airboat rides, alligator shows, and Cajun food) and the Intracoastal Waterway's Chambers County passage.
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Office: Chambers County Emergency Services (combines EMS, Emergency Management, Field Operations, and Fire Marshal divisions) – 525 Airport Rd, Anahuac, TX 77514 | (409) 267-4500
S.T.E.A.R. registry: For residents needing extra help during evacuation – email Emergency Management or call (409) 267-2445; 2-1-1 also available, or (877) 541-7905 via video relay
Notes: This is a Gulf Coast county southeast of Houston, prone to hurricanes, flooding, and – during dry periods – wildfires. Chambers County EMS was established as a county department in 2020, consolidating former nonprofit 501(c)(3) EMS providers into one operation with full-time staff and advanced equipment. For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-10 crosses the county; SH-61/FM 563 and SH-124 also serve the area; Anahuac is the county seat, situated on the Trinity River
Transit: No dedicated county-wide public transit system was found in this search – confirm directly with the county or your city
Notes: Chambers County is part of the growing Houston suburban corridor, with residential growth extending eastward and industrial parks developing near I-10.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Chambers County Development Services / Permitting Office – 201-A Airport Road, Anahuac, TX 77514 | (409) 267-2700; handles residential and commercial permitting for unincorporated areas
Process: Submit civil/drainage review and building applications via the My Government Online portal; a Development Review Committee (DRC) meeting can be requested online to discuss a project with all relevant county approval authorities before applying; fees payable online, by mail (PO Box 1180, Anahuac, TX 77514), or in person
Notes: Commercial building projects require Fire Marshal inspection and a Certificate of Compliance before occupancy.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Chambers County Veterans Service Officer – acts as an advocate for veterans and survivors seeking VA and Texas state benefits; confirm current contact directly with the County Judge’s office
State VSO: Texas Veterans Commission – tvc.texas.gov
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Chambers County Library System – main branch at 608 Washington Ave, Anahuac, TX 77514; Sam and Carmena Goss Memorial Branch, 1 John Hall Dr, Mont Belvieu, TX 77580; chambers.lib.tx.us
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge (recently renamed from Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge) – a roughly 34,000-acre coastal marsh and prairie refuge established in 1963 along East Bay/Galveston Bay, popular for fishing, waterfowl hunting, paddling, and wildlife viewing, with heavy volunteer involvement; Moody National Wildlife Refuge, 3,517 acres of coastal marsh between Smith Point and the Nungaray refuge (currently closed to public visitation); Anahuac is historically known as the “Alligator Capital of Texas” and hosts the annual Texas Gatorfest, alongside the Texas Rice Festival, both real, established regional events
Notes: The recent renaming of Anahuac NWR to Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge is worth noting specifically, since older sources and maps may still use the former name. These wetlands and refuges are genuine, significant ecological assets – not manufactured praise.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Chambers County Appraisal District (Chambers CAD) – Main St & FM 563, Anahuac, TX 77514 | (409) 267-3795 | chamberscad.org
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Mont Belvieu Animal Control (part of Chambers County Animal Services), established 1999 – 11607 Eagle Drive, Mont Belvieu, TX 77580 | (281) 576-2417; an open-intake facility operating with a no-kill policy
Notes: For unincorporated areas or other cities within the county, confirm which animal control service applies to a specific address, since this appears to be a city-run facility rather than a single county-wide department.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
No county-wide landfill or transfer station was independently confirmed in this search – confirm current household waste disposal arrangements directly with your specific city or the County Judge’s office.
NOTES: Chambers County is the second of this five-county batch. The renaming of the wildlife refuge (Anahuac → Jocelyn Nungaray) is a genuinely current fact worth flagging clearly. This is a real, hurricane- and wildfire-exposed coastal county with a substantial, standalone public health department – worth noting since many smaller Texas counties in this project have no equivalent. 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 Chambers County
Chambers County is Southeast Texas’s alligator capital and coastal wildlife refuge county – the coastal marshes hosting one of Texas’s densest alligator populations and one of the Gulf Coast’s finest birding refuges define a unique coastal community between Houston and Beaumont.
Anahuac (the county seat, population ~2,000) celebrates its alligator heritage with the annual Gatorfest – one of Southeast Texas’s most colorful festivals. The National Wildlife Refuge’s auto tour roads provide outstanding year-round wildlife viewing.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Chambers County Appraisal District at 404 Washington Avenue, Anahuac, TX 77514, phone 409-267-3681. TX property assessed at 100% market value.
Courts & Legal
Chambers County District Clerk at 404 Washington Avenue, Suite 205, Anahuac, TX 77514, phone 409-267-2418, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
404 Washington Ave, Anahuac, TX 77514
(409) 267-2440
DISTRICT CLERK
404 Washington Ave, Anahuac, TX 77514
(409) 267-2437
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Chambers County Clerk’s Office, Anahuac (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Chambers 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, Chambers County PO Box 728, Anahuac, TX 77514 (409) 267-2418 Chambers County is on the Texas Gulf Coast east of Houston, seated in Anahuac.
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 Chambers, sometimes assisted by district courts). In Chambers 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 Chambers 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 Chambers 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
2100 FM 563, Anahuac, TX 77514
(409) 267-2500
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
404 Washington Ave, Anahuac, TX 77514
(409) 267-2440
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
404 Washington Ave, Anahuac, TX 77514
(409) 267-2870
HHSC Office
725 South Cummings St, Anahuac, TX 77514
(409) 267-8200
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Chambers County Health Department – a real, standalone department with four programs: Clinical Health Services, Community Health, Emergency Preparedness and Response, and WIC. Three clinical locations serve the county: Anahuac, Mont Belvieu, and Winnie. Services include STD treatment, TB prevention/diagnosis/treatment, and childhood/adult immunizations.
Community clinics: Chambers Community Health Centers, Inc. – Anahuac clinic, 621 S. Ross Sterling (FM 563), (409) 267-4126; West Chambers Medical Center, 9825 Eagle Dr, Mont Belvieu, (281) 576-0670 – both provide comprehensive primary care with sliding-scale assistance for under/uninsured residents
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Anahuac
Population: 47,000
Established: 1858
Tier: 3
Public Records
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