Limestone County was created by an act of the Alabama Territorial General Assembly on Feb. 6, 1818. It was formed from land comprising Elk County that was created on May 24, 1817. Limestone County is west of Madison County, north of the Tennessee River, and east of the western boundary line of range six, west of the basis meridian of the county. An act of the state General Assembly on Nov. 27, 1821 gave to the county all of the land belonging to Lauderdale County, in the fork of the Tennessee and Elk Rivers, east of range six. Today Limestone County is bounded on the north by the State of Tennessee, on the east by Madison County, on the south by Morgan and Lawrence counties, and on the west by Lauderdale County. It currently encompasses 559 square miles. The name of the county comes from the creek which flows through it, whose bed is of hard limestone. Athens was chosen as the county seat in 1819. Other towns of note are Belle Mina, Elkmont, Capshaw and Mooresville.
Probate Office: 200 W. Washington Street, P. O. Box 1145, Athens, AL 35612.
Among Records Held: Births, 1881–1887, 1896–1898, 1908–1919; Deaths, 1896–1898, 1881–1895; Marriages, 1866–1874, 1865–1918*; Index to Deed Records, 1818–1840, 1875–1900, 1840–1875; Deed Records, 1819–1903; Mortgage Records, 1884–1903; Wills, 1826–1928, 1885–1890.
*Licenses, 1865–1918.
Other: Orphan Court Minutes, 1821–1853, 1870–1889; Index and Abstracts, 1818–1823; Loose Court Records, 1830–1917; Divorce Records, 1896–1947; Circuit Court Minutes, 1820–1857; Poor Relief Record, 1923–1926; Estate Records, 1828–1874, 1881–1895, 1865–1915; Estray Records, 1824–1853, 1863–1920; Probate Minutes Index, 1825–1925; Probate Minutes, 1830–1929.