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Office: Washington County OEM – (970) 345-6565 | washingtoncountyco.gov
Alert System: CO-WARN; CodeRED; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Akron school facilities; contact OEM
FEMA Region: Region 8
Notes: Northeastern Colorado high plains county; Akron is county seat; tornado risk (significant – northeastern Colorado tornado corridor); severe thunderstorms; hail; drought; dry land and irrigated agriculture; very rural; I-76 accessible via SR-34
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Roads: Washington County Roads – (970) 345-6565
Transit: None; completely auto-dependent; very remote
Notes: US-34 (east-west through Akron – connects Greeley west and Sterling north; US-34 also connects Fort Morgan west); SR-63; Akron is about 55 miles from Sterling and about 100 miles from Denver; very rural agricultural county; Akron is the regional hub
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Washington County Building – (970) 345-6565
Services: Basic county permits; Akron, Otis, Woodrow, Cope, Last Chance separate small communities
Notes: Very limited development; dryland and irrigated agriculture structures; wind energy development; limited residential activity
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Washington County Veterans Services – (970) 345-6565
VA Medical: VA Denver (via US-34 and I-70 connection, about 120 miles); VA Cheyenne accessible
Notes: Remote county; Denver VA accessible; small veteran population; local VSO chapter in Akron
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Washington County Library – (970) 345-2467
Branches: Akron; small branch libraries
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, children’s programs; northeastern plains heritage; Overland Trail history
Notes: Small library system; critical internet access; northeastern plains agricultural heritage
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Bonny Lake (Kit Carson County – the former state park whose reservoir was drained; the area is now a wildlife area); Prewitt Reservoir (state wildlife area – waterfowl; migratory birds; fishing); Pawnee National Grassland (adjacent to the west in Weld County – accessible; excellent native shortgrass prairie and birding; long-billed curlew, mountain plover, burrowing owl); Wind farms; eastern plains storm watching; Akron’s historic downtown
Notes: Pawnee National Grassland’s native shortgrass prairie is one of the finest remaining examples in the region; birding (particularly raptors and prairie-dependent species) is excellent in the eastern Colorado counties; wind farms have become a distinctive landscape feature
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Washington County GIS; Colorado GIS; USGS maps; wind energy project maps
Notes: Basic county GIS; wind energy project siting; agricultural field and irrigation mapping; Pawnee Grassland maps
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Basic; Washington County Sheriff animal control
Solid Waste: Washington County – basic; transfer stations
Environmental: Colorado DPHE; Republican River Compact (portions); Arikaree River (small stream through the county); wind energy development; dryland farming erosion management
Notes: The Arikaree River flows through Washington County – it is a small prairie stream significant for its isolated population of Topeka shiner (a native fish); water management under drought conditions affects the river; wind energy development provides economic diversification; Republican River Compact obligations affect some county water users
About Washington County County
Washington County is northeast Colorado’s High Plains sunflower and Bonny Lake wildlife county – the transformed reservoir that has become one of eastern Colorado’s premier wildlife areas and the sunflower and wheat fields that turn the open prairie gold each summer define a remote agricultural community where Akron serves the surrounding farming families in the wide-open shortgrass plains.
Akron (the county seat, population ~1,600) is Washington County’s governmental hub, a northeast Colorado plains town whose agricultural service role and Bonny Lake wildlife access anchor its quiet community identity.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Washington County Assessor at 150 Ash Street, Akron, CO 80720, phone 970-345-6565. CO assessed at percentage of actual value.
Courts & Legal
Washington County District Court at 150 Ash Street, Akron, CO 80720, phone 970-345-2756, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK & RECORDER (Deeds, Marriage Licenses, Elections)
150 Ash St., Akron, CO 80720
(970) 345-2701
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Washington County District Court (marriage licenses, will and estate case files – see Probate section above)
Local societies
No dedicated Washington 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
Washington Combined Court – District Court (Probate Division) 26861 Hwy 34, P.O. Box 455, Akron, CO 80720 (970) 345-2756 Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Colorado follows the Uniform Probate Code, one of the more streamlined, less court-intensive systems in the country.
Small Estate Affidavit (personal property) – for estates where personal property totals less than roughly $86,000 (twice the “exempt property” amount under C.R.S. § 15-11-403, which adjusts annually for inflation – always confirm the current year’s figure with the court). Available starting 10 days after the death. No court filing required; present the affidavit (Form JDF 999) directly to whoever holds the property.
Summary Administration for small real property – a separate, roughly parallel threshold applies to real property equity. This route does require a court filing.
Informal Probate – the standard path for most estates with a will or clear heirs and no disputes. Handled largely by the court Registrar with minimal hearings.
Formal Probate – required for contested wills, disputed appointments, or complicated estates.
If using the small estate affidavit (personal property)
Wait at least 10 days after the death.
Confirm the fair market value of the decedent’s property (less liens) doesn’t exceed the current statutory threshold, and that no probate has already been opened.
Complete Form JDF 999, Collection of Personal Property by Affidavit.
Present it, along with a certified death certificate, to the bank or institution holding the property – no court filing needed.
If filing for informal or formal probate
File the appropriate application with the Washington County District Court: Form JDF 910 (with a will) or JDF 908 (without one). For formal probate, file JDF 920 or the intestate equivalent. Filing fee is $199.
The court (or Registrar, for informal cases) appoints a personal representative and issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
In informal probate, the personal representative then manages the estate largely independently.
Creditors have 4 months from first publication of notice to file claims.
The estate closes once debts are paid and assets are distributed.
What it costs
Small estate affidavit: no court filing fee.
Informal or formal probate filing fee: $199.
Personal representative compensation: “reasonable compensation” – no fixed statutory percentage.
No Colorado state estate tax or inheritance tax.
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
Akron, CO 80720
(970) 345-2211
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK & RECORDER (Deeds, Marriage Licenses, Elections)
150 Ash St., Akron, CO 80720
(970) 345-2701
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health/Human Services
Akron, CO 80720
(970) 345-2701
CO Benefits / PEAK
(800) 536-5298
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Northeast Colorado Health Department (regional – (970) 522-3741)
Services: Basic public health; immunizations; vital records
Hospital: Akron Health Services (small clinic); Melissa Memorial Hospital (Holyoke, Phillips County) for nearest rural hospital; Sterling Regional for significant care
Notes: Very limited local healthcare; regional hospitals in Sterling and Fort Morgan; behavioral health in isolated rural community
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Akron
Population: 4,800
Area: 2,520 sq mi
Established: 1887
Public Records
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