Blog · October 14, 2026 · Alabama
Hale County Plat Book: finding and using one
For acreage around Darrah, plat books show ownership by township; the parcel viewer shows it today.
Main page: Hale County, AL GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, county facts and neighboring maps).
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Want a copy of the Hale County plat book? These atlases map who owns rural land, page by page, useful for farms near Lock Five. In this county guide: how the atlas is organized, where to find editions, and the free online map that stays current around Prairieville.
The Hale County plat book: start here
In and around Newbern, plat books are commercial atlases, that map ownership across the countryside, often organized by township.
Getting to the right map
Your first stop is the Hale County ArcGIS parcel map; it covers each assessed parcel in the county, Lock Five included. For property near Moundville, type a street address, an owner's name or a parcel number, and the viewer zooms to the match. For a tract near Prairieville, the parcel card normally shows the owner of record, assessed acreage, the parcel number and in many cases the last transfer.
Who uses plat books
Buyers and seed dealers around Akron rely on them to see ownership across many tracts at once.
Where to look for one
Older editions near Akron turn up in libraries and historical societies, which helps when tracing a farm's history.
Getting answers from the right desk
Anything recorded against property around Lock Five come from the Judge of Probate (probate office), sometimes only in person. Building or septic questions for a lot near Moundville are for the local planning and health departments, and the answer depends on jurisdiction.
Sections, lots and bearings
Alabama follows the Public Land Survey System, so deeds around Lock Five reference sections and townships. Each section is nominally a mile square, about 640 acres, and a township holds 36 of them, though real sections near Greensboro vary in size. Keep the legal description for land near Darrah before you request a deed or survey.
Between editions
The Hale County ArcGIS parcel map is updated more often than any atlas, for tracts near Talladega National Forest.
Getting your bearings
Greensboro serves as the county seat, which is where the courthouse records live. Smaller places on the map include Akron, Moundville, Newbern, and Darrah. Roughly 14,888 people live in Hale County (Census Bureau estimate, 2023) across about 644 square miles. The county was formed in 1867, which matters when you trace an old farm's title around Havana. Features like Talladega National Forest help you orient on the aerial.
Plat book vs. recorded plat
A plat book is not a recorded plat: recorded plats near Newbern are filed with the Judge of Probate (probate office), and the atlas is just a guide.
Backing up the map with records
The map is an index, not the title: recorded deeds, subdivision plats and easements for land near Havana sit with the Judge of Probate (probate office). On ground around Talladega National Forest, older tracts in the county may go back through several deeds, and a title company earns its fee on a real sale.
What the map can't tell you
Acreage on the record is an estimate; just a licensed surveyor can set the real lines on land around Talladega National Forest. Around Lock Five, records update in batches, so a deed recorded last month can take weeks to appear.
Next door to the county, especially near Talladega National Forest.
Hale County borders Bibb County, Greene County, Marengo County, Perry County, and Tuscaloosa County; every one of them runs a separate parcel map. Acreage along the edge near Newbern may be split in two county records, so check the adjacent map as well. With a lot near Havana, the Platbookmapper state page lists each bordering county map for Alabama.
Taking the map into the field
Most viewers work in a phone browser, useful out on a road near Havana, so load it before you lose signal. A printout of the tract near Prairieville helps when you meet an owner or agent.
Making your own township pages
Screenshot each section of the viewer around Talladega National Forest and keep them in a binder for the truck.
Frequently asked
How accurate are plat book acreages around Talladega National Forest?
For acreage around Akron, plat book acreage and lines are approximate; don't rely on them for boundaries.
Is there a current Hale County plat book?
Usually, editions come and go.
Is a plat book legal proof in Hale County?
In and around Gallion, a plat book is a privately published atlas; use a surveyor for lines.
Where can I find old plat books near Gallion?
Closer to Darrah, libraries and historical societies hold older editions; call ahead.
Does the parcel map work on a phone near Prairieville?
In and around Lock Five, no app is needed for most county viewers, though rural signal can drop.
Open the official Hale County, AL parcel map See it in the Platbookmapper directory
Not a survey. County GIS and tax parcel maps are assessment and planning layers. They are not a substitute for a recorded plat, deed, or licensed survey, especially for fences, setbacks, or boundary disputes.