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Office: Hardy County OEM/E911 – 157 Freedom Way, Suite 911, Moorefield, WV 26836
Notes: The county recently updated its enhanced 911 ordinance (amended in 2025 per WV Code §7-1-3cc), reflecting active infrastructure investment. Hardy County Emergency Ambulance Authority (HCEAA), based in Baker, WV (a central location roughly 16 miles from Moorefield, 14 from Mathias, and 9 from Wardensville), provides 24/7 EMS coverage countywide; contact the Office of Emergency Management, (304) 530-0291, for HCEAA meeting information. The county’s own site notes it is NOT monitored 24/7 for emergencies – always dial 911 directly.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-220 runs through Moorefield along the South Branch Potomac River
Transit: Potomac Valley Transit Authority provides regional transit service
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Hardy County Planning Office – Moorefield, WV
Services: Administers building permits (including floodplain development permits), zoning, subdivision regulation, floodplain management, and long-range planning (including the Hardy County Comprehensive Plan) for all areas OUTSIDE the municipal boundaries of Moorefield and Wardensville
Notes: Confirm current physical address and phone directly with the county, as the office has recently relocated. For property WITHIN Moorefield town limits, contact Moorefield Permits and Zoning directly, 206 Winchester Avenue, Moorefield, WV 26836, (304) 530-6142 – a separate process from the county.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
State VSO: West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance – veterans.wv.gov (statewide office locator for the nearest County Veteran Service Officer)
Notes: Confirm current local point of contact directly with veterans.wv.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Hardy County Public Library – 102 North Main Street, Moorefield, WV 26836
Notes: Confirm current hours directly with the library.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Hardy County, created 1786 from Hampshire County and named for Virginia statesman Samuel Hardy, sits in the broad, scenic valley of the South Branch Potomac River; Moorefield, the county seat, was chartered October 1777 and is genuinely the FOURTH-OLDEST town in West Virginia, named for early settler Conrad Moore, whose home (the Old Stone Tavern) still stands on Main Street; the Old Hardy County Courthouse (built 1792-93, expanded circa 1833) is part of the Moorefield Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places; Hardy County is genuinely West Virginia’s undisputed “Poultry Capital,” producing roughly 43% of the ENTIRE state’s chicken output as of 2017 data – a remarkable concentration reflecting the region’s Pilgrim’s Pride processing operations and large-scale poultry farming, with the annual West Virginia Poultry Festival and Hardy County Heritage Weekend celebrating this heritage each year in Moorefield (the state Poultry Association’s convention has been held in Moorefield continuously since 1952, aside from Avian Influenza and COVID-19 disruptions); Moorefield endured a devastating 1985 flood that destroyed homes, businesses, and lives, but has since rebuilt into one of the state’s stronger local economies, with expansions from Hester Industries, Summit Financial, and American Woodmark; the Lost River, a genuine regional natural wonder, sinks underground beneath a ridge and reemerges as the Cacapon River; Lost River State Park and multiple Wildlife Management Areas (Nathaniel Mountain, Short Mountain, South Branch) offer significant outdoor recreation, with a substantial portion of eastern Hardy County within the Monongahela National Forest
Notes: Hardy County’s poultry production dominance (43% of an entire state’s output from one county) is a genuinely remarkable, well-documented economic concentration – not exaggeration.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Hardy County GIS – accessible via hardycounty.com
Parcel Search: Hardy County Assessor’s records
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Hardy County OEM/E911
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Hardy County Dog Shelter – 206 Winchester Avenue, Moorefield, WV 26836
Enforcement: Hardy County Animal Control – 362 Fitzwater Ln, Moorefield, WV 26836 | (304) 434-2928
Notes: Additional area rescues include Forever Friends Animal Rescue WV, Inc. (Baker, WV) and Potomac Highlands Animal Rescue (Mathias, WV) – confirm current relationships and services split between the county-run shelter/control and these independent rescues directly.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Environmental Complaints: West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection – dep.wv.gov
Notes: Region 8 Solid Waste Authority serves Hardy County; contact the county directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details.
NOTES
Hardy County is genuinely West Virginia’s poultry capital, producing an outsized share of the entire state’s chicken output – an economic identity celebrated annually through the West Virginia Poultry Festival in Moorefield, the state’s fourth-oldest town. The county has also demonstrated real resilience, having rebuilt strongly from a devastating 1985 flood into one of the state’s more economically stable rural communities. All contact information above was sourced from official county, library, and community pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Hardy County County
Hardy County is eastern West Virginia’s Lost River and South Branch Potomac agricultural county – the river that disappears underground and the productive limestone valley farmland define a Potomac Highlands county where Moorefield serves the surrounding poultry and cattle farming communities near the Virginia border.
Moorefield (the county seat, population ~2,600) is Hardy County’s governmental and commercial hub in the South Branch Potomac valley, an eastern West Virginia small city on US 220 whose agricultural service role, Lost River State Park access, and Potomac Highlands scenery anchor its identity.
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Hardy County Assessor at 204 Washington Street, Suite 104, Moorefield, WV 26836, phone 304-530-0250. WV residential assessed at 60% of market value. Appeal to Board of Equalization and Review.
Courts & Legal
Hardy County Circuit Court at 204 Washington Street, Moorefield, WV 26836, phone 304-530-0230, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
204 Washington St, Moorefield, WV 26836
(304) 530-0217
CIRCUIT CLERK
204 Washington St, Moorefield, WV 26836
(304) 530-0210
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Hardy County Clerk’s Office, Moorefield (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above). The Old Hardy County Courthouse (1792-93, with an 1833 extension, Federal style), part of the Moorefield Historic District, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Local societies
No dedicated Hardy 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
Hardy County Clerk’s Office (Probate/Fiduciary Supervisor) 204 Washington Street, Room 111, Moorefield, WV 26836 (304) 530-0250
Hardy County was founded October 17, 1786, named for Samuel Hardy, in the Eastern Panhandle, created from Hampshire County, county seat Moorefield. West Virginia has NO separate probate court and has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code. Probate is handled administratively through the COUNTY COMMISSION, via the elected COUNTY CLERK (clerk of the county commission) and that office’s FIDUCIARY SUPERVISOR – not through the Circuit Court, which handles only contested or referred matters. Note: Hardy is one of the counties where the county clerk and circuit clerk functions may be combined in a single office by statute.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
West Virginia’s probate framework runs under Chapter 44 of the West Virginia Code, administered locally at the county commission level rather than in a court of record.
West Virginia Small Estate Act (W. Va. Code §44-1A) – available when the decedent’s ENTIRE personal probate estate does not exceed $50,000 in “small assets,” AND the decedent owned no interest in real property at all. As of a July 9, 2025 change in the law, real estate provisions were removed from the Small Estate Act entirely – any estate involving real property, of any value, can no longer use this affidavit process. If the affiant is the nominated personal representative under a will, the affidavit can be filed 30 days after death; otherwise, 60 days must pass. No personal representative may be pending or appointed in any jurisdiction.
Full/Standard Administration – required whenever real property is involved, or the estate exceeds $50,000 in personal property. The executor (with a will) or administrator (without one) qualifies before the County Clerk, receives Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, files an appraisement within 90 days of qualification, and settles the estate through the Fiduciary Supervisor or, for complex or contested matters, a court-appointed Fiduciary Commissioner.
Only if a genuine dispute arises – a will contest, or disagreement over appointment – does the matter go before the County Commission for a hearing, or in some cases the Circuit Court.
Step 2: filing for administration
The person seeking to serve as executor or administrator brings the original will (if any) and a certified death certificate to the Hardy County Clerk’s Office to qualify.
The Clerk issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration; a corporate surety bond is typically required unless waived by the will or by agreement of all beneficiaries (with no debts).
The personal representative files an appraisement of the estate’s assets, generally within 90 days of qualification.
Notice to creditors must be published; once an appraisement is filed, the County Clerk must publish notice within 30 days (or within 120 days of qualification if no appraisement is filed).
The estate is settled through the Fiduciary Supervisor’s review, or referred to a Fiduciary Commissioner if complex or contested, culminating in a final settlement and accounting.
What it costs
Court filing fees to qualify as executor or administrator generally range from about $44 to $56, depending on whether there is a will.
West Virginia sets statutory executor commissions based on estate value: 5% on the first $100,000, 4% on the next $300,000, 3% on the next $400,000, and 2% on amounts above that.
Attorney fees for straightforward estates commonly range from $2,500-$5,000, and $5,000-$10,000+ for complex or contested cases; add bond premiums, newspaper publication fees, and appraisal/recording fees.
West Virginia does NOT impose a state estate tax or inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax may apply, and only to estates above the federal exemption (roughly $15 million for a 2026 death).
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
204 Washington St, Moorefield, WV 26836
(304) 530-0230
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
(304) 530-0217
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
Hardy County Health Department, 165 Elm St, Moorefield, WV 26836
(304) 530-6355
DHHR Office
Hardy County DHHR Office, 165 Elm St, Moorefield, WV 26836
(304) 530-6339
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Hardy County Health Department
Services: Immunizations, WIC, environmental health, vital records
Notes: Confirm current hours directly.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Moorefield
Population: 14,500
Public Records
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Search public records for Hardy County County residents.
