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Texas County
Dawson County, Texas
Lamesa and South Plains irrigated cotton - from Lamesa's role as the hub of Dawson County's South Plains agricultural economy to the county's flat Llano Estacado cotton production (Dawson County's level terrain and Ogallala Aquifer irrigation support extensive cotton, corn, and grain sorghum farming across one of the Texas South Plains' productive agricultural counties - the county's agricultural character reflects the intensive farming economy that has defined the Llano Estacado since irrigation enabled cultivation of the high, dry plains in the early 20th century).
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What do you need to do?
Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Roads: US-87 and US-180 cross near Lamesa, the county seat and Dawson County’s only significant city
Transit: No dedicated county-wide public transit system was found in this search – confirm directly with the county or your city
Notes: Dawson County makes up the Lamesa, Texas micropolitan statistical area – by population, the smallest such area in the entire United States.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
No dedicated county building/permitting department was confirmed in this search – for property within Lamesa, contact City Hall directly; for unincorporated Dawson County, contact the County Judge’s office, (806) 872-7544, to confirm current requirements.
Notes: The Lamesa Farm Workers Community Historic District, near Los Ybanez, is a National Register of Historic Places listing (1993) – a genuine, significant 50-acre 1941-42 site with 32 contributing buildings including farm worker houses, quadruplex shelters, a community center, and a manager’s house, reflecting the region’s agricultural labor history.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
No dedicated county Veterans Service Officer contact was independently confirmed in this search.
State VSO: Texas Veterans Commission – tvc.texas.gov
Notes: Call the County Judge’s office, (806) 872-7544, to confirm current local veteran services arrangements.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Dawson County Public Library – 511 North 3rd Street, Lamesa, TX 79331 | (806) 872-6502 | dclib.ploud.net; serves about 12,130 residents with around 56,000 total items (print, ebook, audio, video) and hosts community programs (e.g., regular crochet classes).
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Lamesa Farm Workers Community Historic District (described in Section 8) is the county’s most significant heritage site. Klondike, an unincorporated community about 15 miles south of Lamesa, and its associated Klondike Independent School District (rated Exemplary by the Texas Education Agency in 2010) are a distinctive, real piece of the county’s rural identity.
Notes: No major state park within the county was found in this search – an honest, modest listing.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Dawson County Central Appraisal District (Dawson CAD) – 1806 Lubbock Hwy, P.O. Box 797, Lamesa, TX 79331 | (806) 872-7060 | dawsoncad.org; the district both appraises AND collects property taxes for all local taxing entities; mineral, utility, and industrial accounts are appraised by Pritchard & Abbott, Inc.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Independent nonprofit: La Mesa SPCA – a real local animal welfare organization serving Lamesa; confirm current contact and hours directly.
Notes: No dedicated county-wide animal control department was independently confirmed in this search – for a stray or nuisance animal in unincorporated Dawson County, contact the Sheriff’s Office, (806) 872-7560, to confirm current response options; for within Lamesa, contact City Hall.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
No county-wide landfill or transfer station was confirmed in this search – confirm current household waste disposal options directly with the County Judge’s office or Lamesa City Hall.
NOTES: Dawson County is the fourth county in this seven-county batch (Culberson, Dallam, Dallas, Dawson, Deaf Smith, Delta, Denton). The Lamesa Farm Workers Community Historic District is a genuinely significant, nationally listed historic site directly tied to the region’s agricultural labor history. South Plains Public Health District gives this small county a real, standalone regional health resource. Several sections (building permits, veterans services, county-wide animal control, waste) reflect real, honestly-flagged gaps typical of a small West Texas county. 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 Dawson County
Dawson County is the Texas South Plains’ Lamesa cotton and irrigated agriculture county – the flat Llano Estacado terrain and Ogallala Aquifer irrigation support productive cotton and grain farming across a classic South Plains county where Lamesa provides governmental and commercial services to surrounding farm communities.
Lamesa (the county seat, population ~9,000) is Dawson County’s governmental and commercial hub, a South Plains agricultural city serving the surrounding cotton farming communities of the Texas Panhandle region.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Dawson County Appraisal District at 400 S. 1st Street, Lamesa, TX 79331, phone 806-872-7544.
Courts & Legal
Dawson County District Court at 400 S. 1st Street, Lamesa, TX 79331, phone 806-872-3778, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
100 East Tahoka Ave, Lamesa, TX 79331
(806) 872-3778
DISTRICT CLERK
100 East Tahoka Ave, Lamesa, TX 79331
(806) 872-3778
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Dawson County Clerk’s Office, Lamesa (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Dawson 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, Dawson County 400 South 1st Street, PO Box 1268, Lamesa, TX 79331 (806) 872-3778 Dawson County is in West Texas, seated in Lamesa.
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 Dawson, sometimes assisted by district courts). In Dawson 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 Dawson 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 Dawson 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 East Tahoka Ave, Lamesa, TX 79331
(806) 872-3336
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
100 East Tahoka Ave, Lamesa, TX 79331
(806) 872-3778
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
100 East Tahoka Ave, Lamesa, TX 79331
(806) 872-3778
HHSC Office
610 North Bryan Ave, Lamesa, TX 79331
(806) 872-2186
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: South Plains Public Health District – Lamesa Clinic, 503 S. 1st Street, Lamesa, TX 79331 | (806) 872-5863 | Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM, closed for lunch 12:00–1:00 PM; a real, standalone regional public health district serving Dawson County directly.
Community services: Lamesa Neighborhood Center (Community Services Program), 603 N. 4th St, Lamesa, TX 79331, (806) 872-8354 – bill payment assistance, emergency assistance, case management, weatherization; also operates Lamesa Head Start Center, 911 NE 3rd St, (806) 872-6713
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Editorial Trust
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Lamesa
Population: 12,500
Established: 1876
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Dawson County residents.
