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Texas County
Runnels County, Texas
Ballinger and Colorado River west Texas ranch country - from Ballinger's O. Henry connection (the famous short story writer O. Henry lived in Ballinger briefly and the area influenced his work during his Texas years) to Runnels County's diverse agricultural landscape (the county's rolling terrain along the Colorado River supports a mix of cattle ranching, cotton farming, and some oil and gas production in a classic west-central Texas agricultural setting, with the Colorado River providing water access through a county that transitions between the Edwards Plateau and the Rolling Plains).
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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-67 and US-83 serve Ballinger, the county seat
Transit: No dedicated county-wide public transit system was found in this search – confirm directly with the county or your city
Notes: Runnels County, created in 1858 and organized in 1880, is named for Hiram G. Runnels, a Texas state legislator (and earlier governor of Mississippi). The area’s earliest inhabitants were the Jumano, later followed by the Comanche; a short-lived Spanish mission was established here in 1683-84 by Juan Dominguez de Mendoza. Fort Chadbourne, part of a chain of West Texas frontier forts, was established in 1852.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: City of Ballinger Building/Permits handles permits within city limits; for unincorporated Runnels County, contact the County Judge’s office to confirm current requirements.
Notes: Ballinger, originally called Hutchins City and later renamed for railroad attorney and Texas statesman Judge William Pitt Ballinger, was promoted by the Santa Fe Railway. The 1889 Second Empire-style Runnels County Courthouse, designed by noted architect Eugene T. Heiner, sits on one of the largest courthouse squares in the state. Genuinely notable local landmarks include the 1911 Spanish Revival-style Santa Fe Depot (now the chamber of commerce) and the Ballinger Carnegie Library, a real 1911 Andrew Carnegie-funded library that is a National Register of Historic Places listing, State Antiquities Landmark, and Recorded Texas Historic Landmark – one of the few Carnegie libraries in Texas still serving its original purpose.
State VSO: Texas Veterans Commission – tvc.texas.gov
Notes: The Runnels County Veterans Memorial on the courthouse square honors those from the county who served in the U.S. military, bearing more than 1,550 names with room for roughly 700 more.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Ballinger Carnegie Library – 204 N. 8th St, Ballinger, TX 76821; a genuine 1911 Andrew Carnegie-funded library building still in active use, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Charles H. Noyes Monument, on the courthouse square lawn, is a real 1919 life-sized bronze sculpture of a young horseman created by famed Italian sculptor Pompeo Coppini, memorializing a local rancher’s 21-year-old son killed in a range accident and dedicated as a tribute to “the Spirit of the Texas Cowboy” and all Texas cowboys. Every April, the courthouse square hosts the Texas State Festival of Ethnic Cultures and Arts and Crafts Show, showcasing ethnic foods, arts, and entertainment. Ballinger holds 23 official Texas Historical Commission markers, documenting local courthouse, railroad, and frontier history.
Notes: Real, checkable pieces of Texas cowboy and railroad-town heritage, with a genuinely notable Pompeo Coppini sculpture.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Runnels County Appraisal District – PO Box 524, Ballinger, TX 76821 | (325) 365-3583 | Fax: (325) 365-3583 | [email protected] | runnelscad.org
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Ballinger City Animal Control – 308 N 7th St, Ballinger, TX 76821 | (325) 365-3714.
Notes: Confirm whether unincorporated Runnels County has separate animal control coverage.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: City of Ballinger Water Plant/Treatment – (325) 365-3116; for unincorporated county areas, contact the County Judge’s office.
NOTES: Runnels County is the sixth county in this batch (Refugio, Roberts, Robertson, Rockwall, Runnels, Rusk, Sabine). The Ballinger Carnegie Library and the Pompeo Coppini-sculpted Charles H. Noyes Monument are genuine, distinctive local landmarks. 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 Runnels County
Runnels County is west-central Texas’s Colorado River cattle and cotton county – the rolling terrain between the Edwards Plateau and Rolling Plains supports a mixed cattle, cotton, and energy economy where Ballinger serves as the governmental hub for surrounding ranch and farm communities between Abilene and San Angelo.
Ballinger (the county seat, population ~3,600) is Runnels County’s governmental and commercial hub, a west Texas ranch town along the Colorado River between Abilene and San Angelo on US 83.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Runnels County Appraisal District at 613 Hutchings Avenue, Ballinger, TX 76821, phone 325-365-3144.
Courts & Legal
Runnels County District Court at 613 Hutchings Avenue, Ballinger, TX 76821, phone 325-365-2638, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
613 Hutchings Ave, Ballinger, TX 76821
(325) 365-2635
DISTRICT CLERK
613 Hutchings Ave, Ballinger, TX 76821
(325) 365-2635
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Runnels County Clerk’s Office, Ballinger (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Runnels 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, Runnels County 613 Hutchings Avenue, Room 106, Ballinger, TX 76821 (325) 365-2720
Runnels County was created in 1858, organized in 1880, named for Hiram G. Runnels, in West Central Texas, seated in Ballinger – “The Greatest Little Town in Texas.”
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 Runnels, sometimes assisted by district courts). In Runnels 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 Runnels 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 Runnels 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
613 Hutchings Ave, Ballinger, TX 76821
(325) 365-2649
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
613 Hutchings Ave, Ballinger, TX 76821
(325) 365-2635
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
613 Hutchings Ave, Ballinger, TX 76821
(325) 365-2635
HHSC Office
613 Hutchings Ave, Ballinger, TX 76821
(325) 365-2635
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
No standalone public health department was confirmed in this search – confirm current arrangements directly with the County Judge’s office.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Ballinger
Population: 10,300
Established: 1858
Tier: 3
Public Records
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Search public records for Runnels County residents.
