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Office: Washakie County Homeland Security and Emergency Management – 510 South 15th Street, PO Box 260, Worland, WY 82401 | (307) 347-3331 | Cell: (307) 431-0346 | Fax: (307) 347-3781 | Email: [email protected]
Services: Countywide disaster preparedness, response, and recovery; participates in the Wyoming Region 6 Hazard Mitigation Plan alongside Big Horn, Hot Springs, and Park Counties; maintains outdoor warning siren infrastructure
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-16 and US-20 serve Worland, the county seat, in the Big Horn Basin along the Bighorn River
Transit: No dedicated fixed-route county transit identified; confirm current regional options directly with the county
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Washakie County Planning & Zoning – confirm current contact via washakiecountywy.gov
Services: Building and land use permits for unincorporated Washakie County
Notes: City of Worland maintains its own SEPARATE building permit process for construction within city limits – confirm whether your property falls under city or county jurisdiction.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
County VSO: Washakie County Veterans Service Office – Worland, WY
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Washakie County Library – main branch in Worland plus a Ten Sleep branch
Services: Free WiFi, public computers, story time, and summer reading programs; Friends of the Worland Library fundraises through an on-site “Booktique”
Related: Ten Sleep Branch Library – 200 North Fir Street, Ten Sleep, WY 82442 | (307) 366-2348, also serves as the Ten Sleep K-12 Public School Library, Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–5 PM (winter) / 8 AM–1 PM (summer)
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Washakie County is genuinely home to the COLBY MAMMOTH SITE, one of the largest known Clovis mammoth kills in North America and one of the earliest documented evidence of human activity in Wyoming, dating back more than 11,000 years; discovered accidentally in 1962 when rancher Donald Colby uncovered a Clovis projectile point during routine stock pond construction near Worland, the site was systematically excavated in 1973, 1975, and 1978 by University of Wyoming archaeologist Dr. George Frison, who found a total of 463 bones from at least seven mammoths concentrated in two piles within a prehistoric arroyo, along with stone and bone artifacts; researchers believe the bone piles represent frozen meat caches created by Clovis-era hunters who maneuvered wounded mammoths into the steep-walled arroyo where they could not escape; a single front quarter of a young mammoth would have represented over 500 kilograms of meat; the site, located on private land 2.5 miles east of Worland along US-16, is marked by a historical marker and is free and open to the public year-round during daylight hours; artifacts from the excavation are on permanent display at the Washakie Museum and Cultural Center (2200 Big Horn Avenue, Worland, (307) 347-4102) and at the University of Wyoming Anthropology Department Museum in Laramie; the county itself, formed in 1911, is genuinely named for Chief Washakie, the influential head chief of the Eastern Shoshone people and a documented ally of the U.S. government
Notes: The Colby Mammoth Site’s genuine status as one of the largest documented Clovis mammoth kill sites in North America – with excavated remains still on public display – is an extraordinary and well-verified piece of prehistoric American archaeology.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Washakie County GIS – accessible via washakiecountywy.gov
Parcel Search: Washakie County Assessor
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Washakie County Homeland Security and Emergency Management
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: New Hope Humane Society and Pet Crematorium – 700 15 Mile Road (off West River Road), Worland, WY 82401 | (307) 347-2324
Services: Takes in lost, stray, and abandoned animals and works to place them in permanent, loving homes; relies on donations of pet food and monetary contributions
Notes: Contact Washakie County or the City of Worland directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details.
NOTES
Washakie County’s Colby Mammoth Site is genuinely one of the largest known Clovis mammoth kill sites in North America, with excavated artifacts still on public display at the Washakie Museum. All contact information above was sourced from official county, city, library, and shelter pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Washakie County County
Washakie County is Wyoming’s Chief Washakie heritage and Bighorn Basin agricultural county – named for the great Eastern Shoshone leader who navigated his people through the most difficult era of the American West with diplomatic genius, the county’s irrigated sugar beet fields and Bighorn River access define a north-central Wyoming agricultural community where Worland serves the surrounding farming and ranching operations.
Worland (the county seat, population ~5,200) is Washakie County’s governmental and commercial hub in the Bighorn Basin, a north-central Wyoming agricultural city on US 20 whose sugar beet processing, Bighorn River fishing, and Chief Washakie heritage anchor its identity.
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Washakie County Assessor at 107 S. 17th Street, Worland, WY 82401, phone 307-347-3045. WY assessed at 9.5% of market value.
Courts & Legal
Washakie County District Court at 107 S. 17th Street, Worland, WY 82401, phone 307-347-3431, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
1001 Big Horn Ave, Worland, WY 82401
(307) 347-3131
CLERK OF DISTRICT COURT
1001 Big Horn Ave, Worland, WY 82401
(307) 347-3131
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Washakie County Clerk of District Court, Worland (probate case files – see Probate section above); Washakie County Clerk’s Office (separate office) for recorded deeds, small-estate affidavits, and summary distribution decrees.
Local societies
No dedicated Washakie 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
Washakie County Clerk of District Court (Fifth Judicial District) 1001 Big Horn Avenue, Suite 211, PO Box 862, Worland, WY 82401 (307) 347-4821
Washakie County is in North Central Wyoming, named for Chief Washakie of the Eastern Shoshone, county seat Worland. Wyoming has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code – it runs its own probate framework under Title 2 of the Wyoming Statutes (“the Wyoming Probate Code”). Probate is filed with the DISTRICT COURT for the county where the decedent lived, administered day-to-day by that county’s Clerk of District Court. Note that Wyoming counties have TWO separate elected clerk offices relevant here: the Clerk of District Court (handles probate case filings) and the County Clerk (a separate office that records deeds, small-estate affidavits, and summary distribution decrees).
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Wyoming Statutes Title 2 governs probate.
Small Estate Affidavit (Wyo. Stat. §2-1-201) – available when the decedent’s entire estate, including personal property (and, per a 2025 update, mineral interests), does not exceed $400,000 (increased from $200,000 effective July 1, 2025, via 2025 Enrolled Act 85/SF0104), less liens and encumbrances. This estate must consist ONLY of personal property (no real estate) for the pure affidavit-to-County-Clerk route. Available 30 days after death; skips court entirely – filed with the County Clerk, who issues a certified copy the claimant presents to banks or other asset holders.
Summary Distribution (Wyo. Stat. §2-1-205) – for small estates up to $400,000 that DO include real property. Requires filing an Application for Decree of Summary Distribution with the District Court (not just the County Clerk); requires 2 consecutive weeks of published notice; the court issues a decree that gets recorded with the County Clerk to clear title.
Full Probate Administration – required for estates exceeding $400,000 or otherwise not eligible for the small-estate or summary paths. File a Petition for Probate with the Washakie County District Court.
Step 2: filing for administration
File a Petition for Probate with the Washakie County District Court.
Notice must be published for 3 consecutive weeks (Wyo. Stat. §2-7-201).
Once a personal representative is appointed, creditors have 3 months from the date of first publication to file claims (Wyo. Stat. §2-7-703).
The personal representative pays valid debts and expenses, then distributes remaining assets to heirs/beneficiaries.
Close the estate with a final accounting to the District Court.
Wyoming courts are increasingly moving toward e-filing; check with the Clerk of District Court for current e-filing requirements for pro se (self-represented) filers.
Wyoming does NOT have a statutory percentage fee schedule for personal representatives or attorneys – unlike many states. Fees must be “reasonable” and are subject to court approval (Wyo. Stat. §§2-7-803, 2-7-804).
A bond may be required (Wyo. Stat. §§2-3-102, 2-3-111) unless waived by the will or all beneficiaries.
Wyoming does NOT impose a state estate tax, inheritance tax, or state income tax – one of the most tax-friendly states in the country for estate administration. Only the federal estate tax may apply, with a $15,000,000 per-person exemption for 2026.
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
1001 Big Horn Ave, Worland, WY 82401
(307) 347-3131
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
(307) 347-3131
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Public Health
Washakie County Public Health, 400 S 15th St, Worland, WY 82401
(307) 347-3402
DFS Office
Washakie County DFS Office, 400 S 15th St, Worland, WY 82401
(307) 347-3131
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Washakie County Public Health – Worland, WY
Services: Immunizations, WIC, environmental health, vital records
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Worland
Population: 7,700
Public Records
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