Farmington: county seat and regional hub of the Lead Belt

Farmington is the seat of St. Francois County and its main regional hub, distinct from the cluster of former mining towns — Park Hills, Bonne Terre, Desloge, Leadwood — that grew up around the Lead Belt to the north and east. As the seat, Farmington is where the county courthouse and most county offices are based, which makes it the practical destination for assessment, tax, recorder, and other county business. That seat-versus-mining-town split is worth understanding: the mining communities are tied to the lead industry’s geography, while the seat reflects the county’s older governmental center. For official details on county offices, hours, and locations, use the St. Francois County government portal rather than assuming an office is in the town nearest you.