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Indiana County
Adams County, Indiana
Decatur and northeast Indiana Swiss-Amish heritage - from Adams County's significant Swiss Mennonite and Amish population (the county is home to one of Indiana's larger Plain community concentrations, with traditional farming practices, roadside markets, and distinctive cultural character shaping the rural landscape) to Decatur's role as a regional hub in northeast Indiana (the city provides commercial and governmental services for a county whose agricultural economy combines modern row crop farming with traditional Plain community practices).
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Office: Adams County Emergency Management – confirm current contact via co.adams.in.us.
Sheriff: Adams County Sheriff’s Office – 911 W. Peacekeepers Way, Decatur, IN 46733-0608 | (260) 724-5345 | Fax (260) 724-5346. Operates the countywide E-911 system and multi-agency dispatch center, the county jail, and the Sheriff’s Work Release building. Hours: Mon-Fri 8 AM (business); dispatch 24/7.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-27 and US-224 serve Decatur, the county seat, in northeastern Indiana along the Ohio border.
Notes: Adams County was created by statute February 7, 1835 and organized March 1, 1836, named for President John Quincy Adams. The county seat site was finalized May 18, 1836; county commissioners marked the chosen town site by blazing a white oak tree on all four sides and individually inscribing their names on it. Decatur was likely named for naval Commodore Stephen Decatur.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Adams County Courthouse – 112 S. 2nd Street, Decatur, IN (built 1872-1873 for $78,979, Second Empire, designed by J.C. Johnson, a self-taught architect who placed second in the Indiana State Capitol design competition; built by Christian Boseker of Fort Wayne; National Register of Historic Places since 2008).
Notes: Adams County holds one of Indiana’s most significant Swiss Amish communities. Roughly a quarter of the county’s population – an estimated 8,600 people as of 2017 – is Swiss Amish, settled primarily in the southern half of the county around Berne. This distinctive heritage shapes local culture, agriculture, and community identity throughout the county.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Adams County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via co.adams.in.us.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Adams Public Library System – 128 S. 3rd Street, Decatur, IN 46733-1691 | (260) 724-2605. Berne Public Library – 166 N. Sprunger Street, Berne, IN 46711 | (260) 589-2809 (Heritage Room with local history collections).
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Adams County Historical Society and Museum (420 W. Monroe Street, Decatur – (260) 724-3493) and the Swiss Amish farming communities around Berne are the county’s premier heritage attractions.
Notes: The genuine, substantial Swiss Amish community – roughly a quarter of the county’s population – is among the most distinctive local cultural facts covered in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Adams County Assessor’s Office – confirm current contact via co.adams.in.us.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Adams County Animal Shelter – (260) 849-0300; maintained by Mike and Cindy Heiser; call ahead to schedule an appointment. PAWS of Adams County (Pets Are Worth Saving) – PO Box 482, Decatur, IN 46733 | Email: [email protected] | pawsofadamscounty.com – foster-based rescue and adoption group.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Adams County Environmental Health – confirm current contact via co.adams.in.us.
NOTES: Adams County is the first county completed in Indiana’s Round 3 v2 redo, under the A+ sourced standard established for this project. The genuine, substantial Swiss Amish community centered on Berne is among the most distinctive local cultural facts covered in this project. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Adams County
Adams County is northeast Indiana’s Swiss Mennonite and Old Order Amish county – Berne’s Swiss heritage celebration and one of Indiana’s highest concentrations of Amish give this corner of Indiana one of the most distinctive cultural landscapes in the Midwest.
Berne (population ~4,000) celebrates its Swiss origins annually at Swiss Days – the yodeling, Swiss flags, and traditional costumes reflect a heritage maintained since the 1840s. Decatur (the county seat, population ~10,000) serves the county’s governmental needs.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Adams County Assessor at 313 W. Jefferson Street, Suite 106, Decatur, IN 46733, phone 260-724-5301. IN residential deductions reduce assessed value.
Courts & Legal
Adams County Circuit Court at 313 W. Jefferson Street, Decatur, IN 46733, phone 260-724-5300, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK OF CIRCUIT COURT (Court Records, Marriage Licenses)
112 S. 2nd St., Decatur, IN 46733
(260) 724-5300
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
112 S. 2nd St., Decatur, IN 46733
(260) 724-5300
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Adams County Circuit Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Adams 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
Adams County Circuit Court 112 South 2nd Street, Suite C, Decatur, IN 46733 (260) 724-5307 Adams County is in northeastern Indiana, home to a significant Amish and Mennonite population.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Indiana has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code – probate is governed by Indiana Code Title 29. Indiana offers several tracks depending on estate size and complexity:
Small Estate Affidavit – for estates where the gross probate estate (less liens, encumbrances, and funeral expenses) is $100,000 or less. Available 45 days after death. The affidavit must be signed and recorded with the county recorder’s office before a personal representative is appointed. No court filing is required.
Devolution of Real Estate Affidavit – a separate affidavit specifically for transferring real property, available 7 months after death, with no value limit on the real estate, recorded with the county recorder.
Unsupervised Administration – a simplified probate track available when the estate is solvent and all inheritors agree; fewer court appearances and filings than supervised administration.
Supervised Administration – full court oversight, used for contested, complex, or insolvent estates.
Step 2: filing for formal probate
File a Petition for Probate of Will and for Issuance of Letters (if there’s a will) or a Petition for Appointment of Personal Representative (if intestate) with the Adams County Circuit Court.
The court reviews the will for compliance with Indiana Code § 29-1-5-3 (in writing, signed by the testator, witnessed by at least 2 credible witnesses).
The court issues Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (intestate) appointing the personal representative.
Publish notice to creditors; creditors generally have a limited window (commonly 3 months from first publication) to file claims.
The personal representative marshals assets, pays valid debts and expenses, and distributes the estate.
File a closing statement or final accounting to formally close the estate.
What it costs
Indiana does not have a state estate or inheritance tax.
Filing fees vary by county – confirm current amounts with the Adams County Circuit Court.
Indiana has no statutory fee schedule for attorneys or personal representatives – fees must be “reasonable” and are subject to court approval.
Typical timelines: Small Estate Affidavit – a minimum 45-day wait; Unsupervised Administration – roughly 6-9 months if uncontested; Supervised Administration – 9-12+ months.
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
313 N. Jefferson St., Decatur, IN 46733
(260) 724-5345
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
112 S. 2nd St., Decatur, IN 46733
(260) 724-5300
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Adams County Health Dept
(260) 724-2182
IN FSSA — Northeast Region
(800) 403-0864
IN Medicaid
(800) 403-0864
Adams Memorial Hospital
adamshospital.com (Decatur)
Parkview Regional Medical Center (Fort Wayne)
parkview.com
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Adams County Health Department – 313 W. Jefferson Street, #314, Decatur, IN 46733-1672 | (260) 724-5326 | Fax (260) 724-5328.
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